Unforgivable
by 76percentorganic
Summary: Instead of declining the offer to join her sister, she accepts. Saya was born as a weapon, born a sister, born a chiropteran, but she was never born a human.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One;**

_Unforgivable_

un·for·giv·a·ble: _adj. _Of or relating to an act or situation that one cannot or will not forgive.

_

* * *

_

She looked bleakly at the two before her, as she leaned on her chevalier, the thinking over her ability to come with them, the last offer. The breath that flowed inward and outward from her parted lips was raspy, her sword broken with the half of the handle in her trembling grip and the other half stuck in the ground a few feet away.

The proposition was so tempting to her now, to simply switch sides and no longer go against her sister. Solomon's eyes were pleading with her, and she felt as if she were floundering and drowning in deep waters.

_She was loosing the strength to keep her head above the liquid now…_

The promise of not having to fight anymore, to have a sense of peace, it would be a welcomed heaven when compared to this hell she was smoldering in now.

_The water was getting higher now, struggling was difficult…_

After all, was this really worth it? Fighting, fighting, and oh yes…fighting. The Red Shield needed her to fight this battle for them, was this even her battle? Saya felt like tearing at her hair, and screaming with anxiety and frustration.

_Her lungs were burning, if she didn't figure out how to get out of the waters soon, she'd drown…_

"Saya…" Solomon called for her gently, and she knew he would have held out a hand, had Diva not been latched onto him so vigorously. Her younger sister said nothing, though a prim and amused smile was on her lips, and her clear sapphire eyes held arrogance and vague irritation that they were still wasting time with her elder sister.

_The waves were pulling her down, and now her lungs were begging for air, but it was too late._

Hagi was looking at her, his arms around her body to support her, and he became tense when she took a step towards the two before them. Wearily, she nodded her head, and immediately Solomon smiled.

"Ah, it seems as though sister has finally gained some sense. I knew she wouldn't beat me, and this is better because now I don't have an annoyance to bother me." Diva said happily, giggling after. Saya could feel the aura around Haji darken, and she looked back to him.

"Saya…" He began to say, but from a look from her, instead chose different words,"If that is…your wish, Saya." Slowly, she nodded her head in return. Not missing a beat, a sigh could be heard from Diva.

"Solomon, I wish to get a new dress, that silly human ruined it by shooting me." She said unhappily, pulling at the area of the dress with a bloodied hole, and fingering it a bit. Her blonde subordinate nodded calmly, glanced at Saya once, than twice.

"Of course, Diva, shall….we get going?" He inquired, though mainly for the sake of the elder twin than the younger, anyone could see he was pleased. Impatiently, Diva motioned for him to pick her up, which he did so, but reluctantly, inwardly wishing to have her sister in his arms.

"I suppose you'll follow us, won't you, sister _dearest_?" Diva asked, near mockingly. In something like a response, Hagi picked Saya up in his arms. With that, they moved, leaving nothing but the grass below them rustling and flicking about from the great mass of wind they created with their speed.

As if her life-line, Saya kept her eyes locked on the moving figures of her ex-enemies, for some reason feeling strained and awkward, like when a child had taken a cookie and was about to be punished, with Haji.

Within mere moments they arrived at a bridge, a familiar one which she resented for the memories it held. All four seemed surprised, only one pleasantly so, when they perceived a figure standing majestically still at the other side of the viaduct.

"Amshel!" Diva cried out gleefully, immediately parting from Solomon as soon as they came to a stop and running over to the other. She was greeted with open arms and a half-hearted smile. The singer's face contorted into a pout, "Look at my dress, I need a new one." She complained childishly, poking a single finger through the hole and pulling it outwards a bit.

The man with a placid demeanor and deep, hearty voice peered past his queen, directly at Saya, whom had also parted from the arms of her chevalier, coming to stand a few feet closer to them. His dark eyes narrowed a fraction.

"Why ever is your sister here? Have you…had a change in heart?" Amshel asked, showing vague traces of perplexity. A brow was quirked on Diva's face, and then she laughed close to a maniacal level.

"No, no, no! My dearest sister has had the change of heart." She answered, turning to grin back at Saya with clear superiority. "She can always become my subordinate, you know. It will be _so_ much easier now, no more dangers; it's going to be fun now!"

Her brown eyes here full of hope; this was it, a new future. No more fighting desperately, it just sounded all wonderful to her. Twisted, but wonderful…

She had been so engrossed in her thoughts, that she hadn't realized that they, excluding Haji, had formed a half circle around her. Diva was smiling wickedly, arms intertwined with one of Amshel's large ones, and Solomon stared at her intently. All the while, Hagi stood, like a shadow, behind her protectively.

"There is the matter to make sure this change is…sincere. We must test both her and her chevalier in some way-"

Diva quickly interrupted, "I can decide, Amshel." She said, leaving no room for discussion of the matter. Before a moment passed, she lunged towards her sister and made a motion to smack her in the face, but only made contact with the cello case, which Haji had instinctively placed before his _own_ queen.

The eyes of Amshel narrowed ever so disapprovingly. "I was only going to smack her _little_." Diva countered irritably, and with the last word shoving him easily aside. She then looked expectedly at her sister.

"Give me your hand, sister." She cooed, holding out her own. Truth be known, Saya was wary of her…little sister, but this was a test, and her future. Everything was in that moment.

She gave her hand to her sister, and as soon as Diva had it, she used her nails to cut into the elder's palm. Saya grimaced, dark brown eyes beginning show vague signs of hatred and irritation. Solomon shifted from one foot to another, Haji seemed utterly unsettled, and Amshel simply…watched.

Blood was drawn from the slice, and Diva put her hands to her sides, leaving the bleeding hand in the air. "Well, Saya, your greatest weapon in right there in your palm." Diva stated, teasing and taunting, daring her to perform some sort of action.

Instinctively, brown eyes began to bleed with crimson, old habits were hard to quit. She closed her eyes, calming her systems, before opening them once more to reveal the normal color. The wound was already beginning to heal, and she wiped the small amount of blood which had pooled there against the edge of her own dark plum dress..

The hair that hovered over her right eye was threatening to conceal it, as tilted her head downward ever so slightly, demeanor stiff and uncomfortable.

A giggle interrupted the slightly awkward silence, a giggle that soon turned into something close to a cackle. The one who was having this fit soon calmed herself and twirled around, linking arms with her sister, and leaned so that her cheek rested against Saya's.

"I want to get us new dresses now, Amshel." Diva commanded, smiling and closing her eyes as she did so. The one spoken to hesitated, and then nodded hastily.

"Yes, yes of course." He said calmly, inclining his head in a respectful way, though he glanced at Haji rather reproachfully. There was a pause, as they waited to see whom Diva would choose to carry her and, surprisingly, she ambled over to Haji.

The smile remained on her face, flawless as ever, "You will be the one to carry me." She avowed pleasantly, though making it so he could not decline. He, in return, looked to Saya, to whom his true loyalties did, and forever would, lie.

She gave an inconspicuous nod. She assumed that if he declined he would be punished, the most severe things being Diva giving him her blood, and Saya refused to think that he might actually _die_.

Slowly, Haji gathered the younger sister in his arms, and Amshel, of course, would not carry Saya, leaving Solomon to be the one with the duty of carrying her, which he did so hurriedly.

"I suppose Haji wouldn't know the way so I'll have to follow, though I do hate the idea of my sister being before me. Diva sighed, as though the whole ordeal was such a massive hassle she had to go through with.

Amshel smiled with traces of comfort, "I, myself would carry you and make you first, Diva, however I have important business to get to involving our plans." He said apologetically. All previous 'woes' were forgotten when the thought of singing entered her mind.

"Oh, that will be fun." Diva commented, and then tapped on Haji's shoulder impatiently, "I would like to go _now_." She added, smiling once more.

A nod was given to Solomon, as a sign that it was now appropriate to leave.

"Of course, big brother." He stated serenely, and Amshel was suddenly beside him, "I'll…talk to you later about your reasoning for being here." He murmured quietly, and then continued on a louder voice for others to here, "Good bye Diva," he said, bowing a bit, then turned to the other, "…Saya." And he was gone.

The four followed suit, Solomon leading per usual, with Hagi trailing behind.

* * *

**A/N:** Eh, yeah, this probably wasn't the best fan-fiction I've ever done, and it most likely doesn't seem like there's a lot going on, but DON'T BE FOOLED! I shall bring much more excitement, betrayal, and the like in the next chapter. :3 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two;**

_Beginning_

be·gin·ning: _n._ 1. The act or process of bringing or being brought into being.

2. The time when something begins or is begun.

3. The place where something begins or is begun.

4. A source; an origin.

5. The first part.

6. An early or rudimentary phase.

_Synonyms_: beginning, birth, dawn, genesis, nascence, rise

* * *

'_Why did you leave us?'_ _An outraged voice, one recognizable as Kai's, called out at her. His face became visible, only to disappear in the abyss-like darkness that surrounded her._

'_We trusted you.' A voice stated somberly, and David's face came to mind._

'_All our faith was in you, Saya.' Julia's gentle voice was unnaturally cold and edgy._

'_You were our last hope.' The words of Joel Goldschmidt VI, descendent of her once father-like figure, the first Joel, came to her, and now she was screaming for them to stop._

'_Saya, you mustn't.' Hagi warned her, ominous face and voice._

'…_Saya.' That voice, that voice was the thing to kill her. Riku, it tormented her to know what had happened to him, but it could not have been avoided, because she hadn't wanted to stop time for him. She hadn't wanted to do such a thing to him, he deserved to sleep peacefully._

_Her once dark world dripped scarlet, and she murmured one final plea to make it all stop.

* * *

_

Two hands were placed on either side of the sleeping head, and a face of both innocence and cruelty looked down at the one dowsed in slumber. A smile curled on her lips as she looked up when Haji silently entered the room, and though his face was blank, she could easily tell he did not appreciate her being so close to Saya.

"It seems as though sister is having a nightmare." She mused, in a sing-song voice. To this, Haji said nothing, but Diva paid no heed. Instead, she continued, "Even in sleep sister makes such ugly expressions, constantly frowning and sneering, I'd just like to swipe her face right off!"

At this comment, Haji took a step of precaution towards the pair, triggering a giggle to come from Diva.

"Don't worry, silly, I won't really…as much as I'd like to. That would make her angry and she'd foolishly start fighting again. I just don't want to have to deal with it all." She said with a smile, flopping down beside her sister on the large bed. She watched her sister's face for a bit, before closing her own eyes with an easy smile on her face, leaving Haji to watch them, which he did so, though mainly for the protection of Saya than for the sister beside her.

* * *

"Oh, well isn't this cute." 

Four chevaliers stood in the room, watching the two sleeping figures contentedly, three standing grouped together while the fifth stood apart.

"Hush, Nathan, you'll wake Diva." A man of dark skin stated, voice a bit more hushed than the others.

"Oh, James, really now, you mustn't be so _uptight_." The said blonde man shot back, slinging an arm over the other man's shoulder. James, in turn, shrugged the arm back, muttering something about not doing that to him.

The other blonde, much calmer, let out the softest of sighs. "I wonder what Karl will think of this." He stated, branching off from the current subject of their bickering. Luckily, he was successful, and they quieted and looked to him.

Nathan brought a finger to his chin and tapped it thoughtfully, "You're right, what with his obsession of killing Saya, that surely won't go over well."

"No, really? It's obvious that that is a problem." James retorted drearily, earning himself one of those rare, choice glares that Nathan spared him, though; it was at least only half-hearted. Three pair of eyes now turned to the slumbering sisters, though the older in particular.

"Wouldn't that just be hysterical if, after we came this far to get our bride, that Karl would kill her?" Nathan inquired of them, chortling a bit; he looked from face to face. James, of course, did nothing, merely watching the sister. Solomon's stern and almost elegiac one told him it was definitely _no_ laughing matter. He even went so far as to look at Haji, and if the man had attained to the ability to actually show more emotion, he probably would have been frowning at him with overflowing condescension.

He then sighed, feeling as though he was the only living creature there with an actual humor; he then decided to take a lighter note, one that surely they would _all_ agree on.

"They certainly are beautiful queens, aren't they?" He said with near bravado, as if bragging to someone about it. Almost simultaneously, James and Solomon nodded their heads, though one much more sincere than the other.

Haji could have, would have agreed, had he succumbed to his true words, or had the circumstances been better. But, however, he didn't choose to associate with them. He was there for Saya alone, never considering Diva to be someone of that high importance to him.

Once more, the three moved in something like once body, going to the bed and then standing closing to it, Haji also moved forward, though not to get personally closer to the two, rather, out of innate protection he hovered near Saya's head. James took a position at the left side of the bed near Diva, Nathan at the bottom all the while smiling pleasantly, and Solomon was at the right side near Saya.

Abruptly, Saya's eyes opened, glowing brighter than an actual ruby ever could aspire to. At first they were wide, worried as to why they were around the bed, but then calmed, and her eyes turned back to a subtle brown.

In turn, before anyone could say anything, Diva stirred as well, as she had been awakened by Saya's sudden movement. She let out a large yawn of satisfaction and stretched, soon afterwards settling her hands down before her and smiling, though barely.

"Good morning, Diva." The three chevaliers greeted, the smile was increased as a return of the salutation.

"Good morning, Saya." Solomon said, taking the initiative to begin to include the elder in the respect they were all indebted to give. Nathan was quick to follow his lead, in his usual, all too perky manner.

"Yes, yes! Good morning Saya, how was your sleep?" He inquired of her, and she gave the smallest of smiles.

"It was…very good, thank you." She replied, polite as ever, though seemed bewildered as to why Diva was with her. Saya was about to say more, when her stomach growled, albeit it wasn't _that_ terribly loud, it was enough to make traced of a blush color her cheeks, even more so when her sister began to laugh.

"Aw, Saya's hungry!" She goaded, giggling a bit. Brown eyes were downcast, more than a little embarrassed over the matter. Slowly, though, her amused sniggers came to a halt, and she peered first at her sister, then at her subordinates. "I want some food." She stated firmly.

Nathan grinned, "We'll have some arranged for you right away." Saya blinked, amazed that they would get human food for her, at least, that's what she assumed…

"And I don't want elderly people, because their blood always tastes funny and bitter, get us someone nice and young, would you?" Diva added after a moment of thought, and Saya blinked, swallowing rather nervously. She wasn't one to just go and drink blood whenever, she only did that at spare times, when her body couldn't go a second longer. And even then, she would drink Hagi's blood, in order not to kill anyone.

"…We'll be drinking human blood…as food?" Saya asked quietly, placing her hands together and twiddling with her fingers. She could feel their eyes boring into her, and she glanced nervously at Haji, though his blank expression did not help her in the least.

She looked back at the others to see amused smiles, save for James, who was now turning away and walking out of the room to, Saya assumed, fetch their…'food'. The movement in the bed drew her attention back to her sister, who was throwing off the covers and rising. Saya, in turn, hesitantly did the same thing.

"Nathan, get Saya and I new dresses." Diva commanded, putting her hands on the bed and lifting herself up and over in a little flip, so that she landed beside her sister, linking arms with her once more. "I want us to look nice when Saya has her first meal with me."

* * *

**A/N:** Eh, I'm trying to make this as thoroughly detailed and exciting as possible. Is it working? …Hopefully it is. :x I don't know if Diva actually sleeps, but seeing as how Saya does, I just decided to go along with the idea. Maybe she just sleeps…less? –shrugs- I'm not sure. At any rate, it's not a crucial detail so… Please continue reading Unforgivable. :) 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three;**

_Sinner_

sin·ner: _n._ 1. One that sins or does wrong; a transgressor.

2. A scamp.

* * *

The sound of humming filled her ears, and where she might have once clamped her hands over her ears in vain attempt to block it out, she now accepted it like a soothing comfort. And she needed all the comfort she could get, what with being placed in such a high-class dress.

It was of a pale cream base, the bottom stopping at knee length with a dark magenta design of roses and vines circling the bottom, the sleeves reaching her fingertips with a link of roses, the same magenta color, going from the tip up to her elbows, her hair had been styled a bit, making it so the section of locks over her right eye practically concealed it completely. Black heels accompanied this outfit, as well as the silk gloves fitted perfectly to her slightly calloused hands.

Saya thought her attire, and the like, were much too embellished, it seemed like something only her sister would wear. In fact, Diva wore the exact same thing, save for the magenta replaced with a baby blue, top half of her hair tied up, and the shoes white instead of black.

"_Sister_…" The vaguely complaining voice of Diva pulled her out of the thoughts she hadn't even known she had been lost in.

She blinked once, twice, and then a few times more, showing traces of an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, were you saying something?" She inquired carefully, knowing by now how easy to anger her sister was.

Diva's face was distorted into a small pout, looking foreign on her face after she had smiled so much. "Yes, dearest sister, I was. I was saying that I wish James would bring out food our food faster." Currently, they were in a large room, resembling a vestibule more than a banquet chamber, in Saya's opinion. The two sisters were seated at a glass table meant for two, the royal red carpet with golden thread patterns rimming it started from the door and ended at their table. A cruel little paradox in Saya's mind, because when the humans walked down the carpet to their ignorant deaths, their life would end at the end of the carpet.

Just as Diva placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her gloved hands, staring absent mindedly at her elder sister, the door creaked as it opened, and a somber James lead in two unsuspecting individuals.

The two he led in were females, both looking around the age of sixteen or so; one had short brown hair while the other had the same color, but longer and in a ponytail…

Silently, she held her breath at the familiar face. Kaori, what was she doing here? Why was she in France? Those types of questions rang constantly in her mind, and then the horror of realization set her heart racing too quickly for her liking. She and the other girl were to be their _meal_. They had probably been tricked, like told they had been invited to a high-class tea party or something along those lines. At least they seemed to enjoy themselves, in their last hours, pointing at the many fine things within the building.

It wasn't long until Kaori recognized Saya, grinned in both pleasure and shock and jogged over to , causing James to tense. The other girl blinked in confusion, and then slowly followed.

"Saya! I haven't seen you in forever! I-" Kaori stopped short when she saw Diva, raising both eyebrows, "Oh, wow, you two must be twins! Oh, Saya, does this mean you've found your family? Where are Kai and Riku?" This hit the tender spot, the area that needed the longest to heal, her heart. Saya didn't bother to return with words, but tried to smile, though it came out like something between a grimace and a smirk.

"I'm tired of this girl's rambling. I hope you weren't planning on _listening_ to this boring thing, because it's ruining my appetite." Diva said, rising from the table, Kaori cast Saya a confused and vaguely hurt look. As if on cue, Solomon and Haji entered the room, the former closing the door behind him while the latter refused to look at anything but the floor. For that, Saya was thankful, because she was sure that if he had looked at her, she would have broken into a sweat.

The younger of the queens smiled and took a few liquid steps to Kaori, placing her arms around her, as if meaning to hug her, only to bite down on the neck. Saya stared in unashamed horror as she watched her once best-friend's face, turned to her, go pale and taught with a soundless scream as the blood was being drunk.

She was hit with a wall of facts, because though her mind had known it was too late, her body and heart begged to try and save the girl…but the common sense of instincts, the thing she now depended and relied on the most now, told her nothing could be done.

The girl looked warily at Saya, "W-What's happening to my cousin? What's your sister doing to her?" She asked, fear clear in her voice, eyes, face, and body. Everything about her screamed fear, it was something she knew well and could not forget.

The elder queen now rose herself; sighing as she did so, and came to stand before the girl she once called her best friend, closing her eyes.

"….W-What's going on?! Why is this happeni-" The girl was cut off, though not by her own self. Saya had put her arms around her, their face close. The brown-haired girl didn't have time to cry out in terror as she was bitten, a squeak of protest was all that could manage through her dying lips.

As soon as her elongated canine teeth punctured the thin wall of flesh and broke into the blood stream, her eyes, now half way closed, bled a coloration coinciding it. The sticky liquid was a blend of three flavors, metal, rust, and salt, all sickly delicious in their own way.

With the overwhelming feelings of the self-satisfaction of feeding, they were accompanied by a terrible guilt, though small and nearly nothing, it was enough to make her feel like the lowest of the low, as if what she had done could not be absolved. It seemed like the miniscule flame of limpidness that had been in her heart had been crushed, leaving darkness to remain. There was no re-lighting the flame now.

She soon knew there was no more blood to give from the now frail and brittle human, and she dropped the girl to the floor, a few drops of the dark red liquid trickling down the corners of her stained mouth.

Saya looked to her sister, whom had also just finished, and crimson blended with cerulean as the eyes met, sharing a gaze for a brief moment, before the former broke it when glancing down at her previous meal. The sound of steps of rustling clothe caught her attention, and as she swiveled her head to the side to see what was happened, she viewed the younger queen standing beside her, who was peering at her mouth.

"You have some blood remains, sister." This was all Diva said, before taking off her glove and bringing her hand up to Saya's face, and then wiping away the blood. She licked her fingers clean of it, and a contented smile came to her face. "That was _delicious_, and it was all the better with their fear, don't you think so, Saya?"

"I am…satiated." Saya replied slowly, though not capable of giving the same easy smile.

Diva pulled on her glove once more, turning to the chevaliers, "We are satiated," she began to tell them, and Saya could almost feel a bit of happiness roll off of her younger sister's being when she echoed the word she had just used, "…for now. I want you to take us to the gardens, to play."

James, Nathan, and Solomon each gave a node, "As you wish." They chorused, leaving the elder queen's chevalier to remain, as ever, taciturn.

She looked back to Diva, who kept the smile up, as pleasing to the eye as ever. "We can have so much more fun together now, dearest sister, because after eating it seems as though everything is much happier." She paused after a nod of agreement from Saya, and then turned to James, "I want you to find Amshel, he's been gone for an awfully long time, and it makes me unhappy."

James nodded, "Yes, of course, Diva." He stated stiffly, though not out of hatred, rather, just his persona called for such a tone. The man turned and opened the door, walking out quietly and closing then closing it.

Nathan came over, offering his arm to Diva, who quickly took it. Before Saya could call for one of the remaining chevalier, Hagi was beside her, and she smiled and took his arm, though this could not be escaped without the teasing of her younger sister.

"It seems as though your Haji is very quick to being close to you, and does not like anyone else to be near to you." Diva mused in a mocking voice, though it was accepted quietly, and she chose to return her attention back to the man intertwined with her arm once more.

Solomon, who successfully hid feeling of uselessness off his face, but not entirely from his eyes, led the way. While Nathan and Diva conversed, the first so lively it seemed to almost spread to the other, Saya looked at Haji out of the corner of her eye.

It seemed like it had been forever since she had last spoken to him alone, and she felt remorse and guilt, as if she had been neglecting him somehow. It was a feeling she could not, and would not, tolerate.

"Haji, I…I just wanted to ask you if you were upset, about this." She began in hushed tones, for him and him alone to hear.

He remained silent for a bit, and she held a nagging fear that he would not say anything, but soon he spoke, "I cannot judge you, Saya, as I live to serve you. Someone who serves cannot take on the role of an arbitrator."

"…Do you think…I've done too much sin?" She asked of him now, with a voice barely above a whisper, as the room for the gardens in the greenhouse came into sight.

"We are all sinners, Saya. You are no more wrong than I." Haji replied quietly, though she supposed his words should have made her feel better, she felt as if the weight of her burdens was no lighter, and if anything, increased.

* * *

**A/N:** :) Yay, I have gotten reviews! You have no clue how happy that makes me. Just to let you know, I'm going to bring Karl in (I think, so don't hold me to it) the next chapter, yippee. Hopefully portraying these characters close enough to all of your likings, though I can already figure that Kaori and Diva aren't _quite_ like this but, ah, details, detail. Pshht. Now, my lovelies, reward me with reviews, because they give me wonderful tingling sensations! …Or, maybe that's just because my foot fell asleep. :

**P.S:** Because of some wise words (The Last Z Fighter), I've redone this chapter a bit. This wonderful person pointed out to me that it was rather out of character for Saya to kill her (ex-)best friend, and so, hopefully, I've fixed this up to earn approval. x3


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four;**

_Bonding_

bond·ing: _n._ 1. a. The formation of a close human relationship, as between friends.

b. The emotional and physical attachment occurring between a parent or parent figure, especially a mother, and offspring, that usually begins at birth and is the basis for further emotional affiliation.

* * *

It was placid in that garden, separated from the strife and tribulations going on in the outside world, she might even venture to call it Eden. Everything was green and lush, flowers bountiful, and even the air seemed so much more crisp and clean.

Everything in that place, in that moment, seemed to wrong and unnatural. She had been informed that Queens, in any generation, would innately fight against each other, because even their own blood gave them enough reason to do it. This just didn't seem to fit, that she and her sister should seem to fairly get along. Though, it was probably just a bias judgment, as she had never felt this kind of happiness.

They sat, the two unnaturally acquainted queens, on the grass of the gardens, the younger playing with an assortment of dolls while the older observed with a pleased gaze. However, 'playing' with dolls would not be the correct term. Diva pulled at the arms and legs of each until they detached from the core of the body, barely showing much emotion on her face as she did so.

Suddenly, the blue eyed young woman held out a doll, still in tact, to her sister. "You must want to play, too." Diva stated bluntly, the vaguest of smiles coming to her face as Saya took the doll, examining it a bit.

Nathan blinked a bit, and then smirked light-heartedly, "Goodness me, would you look at _that_!" He cried out softly, nudging Solomon with his elbow and motioning to the sisters sitting before them, "I do believe Diva is actually sharing a toy, how gracious of her."

"Indeed, this is taking quite the positive turn. It's a shame James and big brother isn't here to see this, even Karl would be awed." Solomon replied, with equal amazement.

Saya caught this statement, briefly wondering how such a small action could be considered 'gracious', only to be caught off-guard by an inquisitive glance from her sister.

"…Why aren't you playing with it?" Diva asked, her eyes narrowing a fraction, as if insulted that Saya wasn't entertaining herself with a toy _she_ had had to part with. A smile came to the eldest's face, amused and the most sincere one she had displayed since the time of her arriving there.

"We can play with it together." Saya said, noting that her younger sister had already torn up the rest of her dolls. This offer was denied with skeptical look.

"Only one can have it, _sister_." Diva said with a near vehement tone, looking from her sister, down to the doll, and then once more back to the now surprised face. "What?" She asked indignantly, tilting her head a bit to the side.

Saya inwardly sighed, but outwardly smiled once more. "We can share, you know, sister." She stated, though couldn't help but feel a little odd, as this must have been the first times she had endeavored to call the Diva her sister in words.

An eyebrow was arched, but the eyes were kept from being narrowed, and she looked resigned. "Show me." She ordered, now looking fixedly at the doll held delicately in her elder sister's hands.

"Well, we can rip the head in half at the same time, each tear an arm and leg off, and then tear the core of the doll in half." Saya suggested, simply going along with the idea that the other queen would aspire to demolish the toy, as she seemed to take a joy in such things.

Diva stared quietly at the doll, before putting a hand on one side of the head, Saya copied the motion, and then the two tore it in half. So it went, in sync, tearing one arm off, and then one leg off, until they finally spilt the main core in half. Though, when they split the core in half, the fluff spewed out and seemed to cling to Saya.

There was an abnormal amount of fluff, so when Saya stood reflexively to get away from it as to not get anymore stuck to her, she slipped and fell. Slowly but surely, a gentle giggle turned into a wild, childishly harsh laugh, emitted by the younger of the sisters. Diva pointed at her sister, seeming to forget to breathe as she continued laughing.

Hagi, on the other hand, found nothing about his queen falling down to be funny and hurried over, kneeling beside her. "Saya," He began, but a gentle giggle cut him short when he found that his object of protection and worry had found it amusing,

Solomon smiled serenely when he realized that Saya held no contempt towards her sister for laughing at the incident. He always found peace, any sort and at any rate, much better than bickering, so the fact that the two people of greatest importance in his life were getting along, not a solitary creature could imagine his ecstasy.

Diva gathered the remnants of the doll the two had torn together in her arms and held them out to Nathan, "I want you to put this somewhere, and don't lose it. It's special because Saya and I did it, so if you misplace it I won't sing for you or like you anymore." She stated threateningly, giving off the impression that she would do more than just that if he _did_ mislay it.

"Oh, what a devastating thing _that_ would be..." Nathan commented, smiling lightly as he took the bits and pieces from his queen, and then continued cheerily, "I'll be back in a moment!"

The younger sibling lingered on his retreating figure for a bit, before folding her hands on her lap and looking blankly at her sister, "I'm bored." She complained, childish voice making it all the more unbearable.

Saya, out of the moment, had an idea to resolve the sudden 'problem'. "Haji, will you play for us…please?" She asked of him, staring at his stone-like face squarely and yet pleadingly.

He nodded, though the motion was barely visible, "Of course, Saya." The words were whispered, almost too silent for ears to catch. In liquid motions, he took the case from his back and opened it, pulling out the cello and bow and setting it gently before him, seating himself on some steps that led up to a fountain.

The music was so nostalgic; she nearly wished she had never requested him to play it, because as soon as the large stringed instrument began, it felt like it was resonating in her very soul, drawing out memories in the most painful way possible. The faces she had hoped to obscure, and nearly succeeded in doing, were now more vivid than ever.

It almost burned her mind to even _think_ of their names, but she had to, because the music decreed it. Kai, Riku, George, David, Julia, Lewis, Joel, Kaori…they all flashed in her psyche, all tormented her. The more pain they put her through, she more she held derision for them, chiropteran instincts, the cruel and unlawful things they were, whispered twisted words of hatred into her heart. She now was the vessel of a small battle within her very own body, a thing all creatures would no doubt have, though she even more so.

A song penetrating her unnerved thoughts, first sultry and even, then jutting upwards in many octaves and notes, soprano and angelic, at first she believed she was hearing things, but when she came to her senses, she realized it was merely Diva. The younger queen sang along with the chevalier's music, and she was forced to calm down. Dear, sweet singing was her sanity now.

Before she knew it, a hand was held out to her, and she followed the arm up to find out whom it belonged to, and blinked in vague shock to see Solomon standing before her, smiling per usual.

It was like the night of the dance at the all girl's school she had once attended to, when still with the Red Shield, when he had chose her among all others…it was almost _too_ similar for her liking.

"Come now, Saya, Haji is playing and Diva is singing, with such beautiful music it is best not to let it go to waste." Solomon pointed out, trying to persuade her. Saya looked at the hand for a few minutes, and then to his face as she determinedly took it, a look surpassing pleasure flitting across the blonde's face.

She kept a hand in his, and placed the other on his shoulder, while he put his other on her waist.

"I still don't know how to dance that well." Saya murmured, as if worried that if she spoke too loud she would wreck and music and such, and though her tone was calm, deep down she was rather mortified over the fact.

He smiled down at her, "Just follow my lead." He stated easily, and she did just so, as they glided along the grass in time to the rhythm. "I see you've remembered my comment on chemistry." Solomon added, noting the fact that she kept eye-contact with him. She smiled in response.

Though, the two of them both failed to notice that Haji's gaze never left them, and that the moment they began dancing together he had faltered in his playing. And even though the flaxen chevalier and eldest queen failed to do so, it did not escape the attention of the younger sister, whom grinned wickedly and continued singing, though much more prominently than before.

A sudden crash caught their attention, as well as the shattered glass pieces falling from above. This caused an end to everything, and all looked up to see the roof of the green house had been smashed, and an object floated down gracefully. Saya reached up and apprehending it, while it was still in midair, and narrowed her eyes a bit when she realized it was a blue rose.

"Karl." The sisters chorused in unison, one amused while the other having hints of distress.

* * *

**A/N:** WHEE. Karl hath arrived, let the party begin. –tosses confetti- 83 Now, I've got a review that has brought me a bit of grief. What might it be, you ask? (Or, maybe you don't care at all, but I'm still going to tell you. x3) It seems as though my plot is either thought out by many others, or too easy to tell. (I'm hoping it's the first…because it's much better than having a boring plot.) Ah, well, I suppose I'll take it as it comes and just live with it, as long as people read my work. YAY PEOPLE. By and by, I'll try and make my stories longer. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five;**

_Obsession_

ob·ses·sion: _n._ 1. Compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea or an unwanted feeling or emotion, often accompanied by symptoms of anxiety.

2. A compulsive, often unreasonable idea or emotion.

* * *

The air was tense and thick, hard to breathe in, and use to properly support her, but no one else seemed to be having such trouble as she. From the moment the blue rose had landed delicately in her hands, it felt like her insides had been constricted and tied up with sheer worry. 

They were still in the gardens, though not only had their numbers been increased by one, but by two. Amshel had come soon after the arrival of the eccentric, occasional mask-wearing chevalier, successfully ensnaring him in a serious conversation, though there was more rebuking than words made for pleasantries.

"What were you doing, Karl, being so long gone from Diva? Do you even have a valid reason?" The vaguely older man inquired, tone savoring of bitterness and contempt.

"I was out trying to complete my task for our beloved queen." Karl replied, a bit animated, though his piercing gaze remained on Saya, as if trying to smolder her soul, and she would have shifted weight from foot to foot uncomfortably had the previously mentioned young queen not been latched onto her arm.

There was silence, and had Amshel been any other man, his irritation of this complex problem might have slid out, but he was no other than himself, and held his disdain for the matter good-naturally. "What might that task be?" He inquired.

Karl wore a warped smile, "Why, nothing less than to find and kill _Saya_." The way her said her name sent chills down her spine, and she momentarily, quite desperately, wanted to shield herself from him behind Haji, like a child might in a vain attempt conceal themself from the object of their fear or grief.

It was almost as if he sensed it, because Haji took a subtle step closer to her, so that their shoulders brushed.

"Diva," A voice with only indistinct implications of exasperation rang out, identified as Amshel, "Is this true that you requested Karl to seek out Saya? Why did you not inform me?"

A look of half-hearted guilt flitted across her face, and she began to laugh wickedly from there, "It seems as though it slipped my mind." She managed between fits of laughter, but then she grew quiet, looking with narrowed eyes at her chevalier. "As you can see, Karl, unless you've gone blind, that I have my dear sister with me now. But…I don't want her killed!" She added, pressing her face against her sister's, resting cheek upon cheek and smiling pleasantly.

Dark and portentous eyes were widened a fraction at this, and his face turned ardent with his displeasure and shock, "Whatever do you mean, Diva? I _must_ kill her! It is my right!" He declared with anger.

This was not accepted well, on any means, by the young queen to whom this was directed.

"You _dare_ shout at me, Karl?" Diva snapped tetchily, and was before him in an instant, smacking him to the ground with an easy toss of the hand. His body swelled in pain, but he knew it to be only brief, and nothing in comparison to when the elder queen's sword had caused him to rip away his arm. Any internal wounds healed immediately, and though the pavement beneath him was cracked, he would need not medical attention.

As if nothing had gone wrong, Diva ambled back to her sister, linking their arms together once more with a contented sigh, and, leaning into her, she used her free left hand to twiddle with a lock or two of her sister's hair.

"She's to be kept alive, because she's not my enemy anymore. I'll use her to kill the Red Shield, so I won't have to soil my hands. You _will_ do that for me, dear sister, won't you? Please?" The younger requested of her sister, looking evenly in her eyes.

Saya was unsure whether to meet the gaze, a gaze that still managed to frighten her, but she did so within a minute's time and nodded her head, the corner of her mouth lifting into a small mix between smirk and smile. "Yes, of course."

"Ah!" Diva cried out merrily, separating from Saya and clapping her hands together as she twirled in place, "So willing! ….Now," She paused to stop twirling about, and looked pointedly at all chevaliers, including Haji and excluding Karl, "I wish for you to keep an eye on this naughty boy, he might go against me and try and kill sister."

The chevaliers nodded, well, all but Haji, but the point was crossed, and an outraged Karl moved forward in the moment it took her to blink, and brushed a trembling hand from Saya's cheekbone down to her jaw. She held her stance, looking at him defiantly, which seemed to enrage him all the more, that she should no longer fear his presence as she once did. That she should no longer sweat with blood, caused by him. It all irked him.

Karl left in a swish of the cape, dramatic exit as ever, but not without whispering, "_Saya_…" he said it with a mixture of emotions, mournful, anticipating, and ecstatic, he both called her name longingly and threateningly.

She had no time to respond, when Amshel spoke, as if intentionally changing the topic to ignore the previous happenings and the presence of Karl, and she was forced to move on much quicker than she would have liked.

"Diva, is there anything that I might get for you while I am out today?" He asked, dull voice the best he could do to sound eager to please the young woman.

She frowned dexterously, "You're going so soon? Amshel, you know how much I hate having my chevaliers gone." A solemn and none-too-regretful nod of the head was his response, so she continued charismatically, "Alright, I'd like a…a voodoo doll, I've heard so much about them and I want one."

Another nod of the head was given, "I'll get one right away, my queen. And would you care for anything…Saya?" He asked, triggering a surprised blink from the one now being spoken to. He looked keenly at her, as well as near everyone else. She hadn't expected this offer of…well, kindness she guessed she could call it. Could Diva's act to keep her alive have meant this much?

Saya thought, and after a moment's pause, she looked at him directly, "I'd like a sword…if you don't mind the trouble." She stated firmly, though not without the uncertainty that he would reject her request.

He smiled lightly, though it did not reach his clear eyes. "If that is your wish, my queen..." Amshel said, now seeming to take her attendance with slight veneration. It made her a bit uncomfortable, not from her abrupt and almost complete acceptance, but from the title that was now placed on her so officially.

"James, come with me, I'll need you to do a few tasks," Amshel requested.

"Of course, big brother." He responded, following the man of regal demeanor out of the gardens within the green house, which had grown at least five degrees cooler ever since the smashed hole in the roof.

Now it was Diva's turn to call for the remaining four's attention, "I think I'd like to bathe for a bit. I feel so yucky." She said, stretching upwards with a yawn, and then turned a tilted head to Nathan, "And when I'm done, I'd like you to design a new dress for me, and maybe even one for sister. Our other clothes seem so…old." A crinkle of the nose was added.

The ever reigning king of fashion raised he eyes upwards, smiling and sighing amusedly before looking to Diva, "Why not? It sounds like such a wonderful thing to do after all of this horrid stress and bad incidences, it seems like every time I see Karl everything, including my mood, is always ruined."

He sauntered over to the younger queen and guided her out, talking animatedly, and sparing but a solitary glance back at the trio and smiling with obvious hilarity.

The moment they left, Saya could not but help feel a natural awkwardness. She pondered, momentarily, on why such a feeling came to her when she and the two chevaliers were alone together, and why they always seemed to be in such a position. Unfortunately, she came up with no answers to the unspoken questions, and glanced from one to the other.

"Saya," Solomon's temperate voice beckoned her attention, which she gave almost immediately, "How about I accompany you around the building, show you around a bit more, and perhaps take you outside if you wish."

Haji moved to her side, a sign that he would go as well, that if, if she so wished to. Solomon only glanced at him, and she couldn't tell if it was apprehension or the blank and usual good nature he held.

Saya nodded, smiling flippantly, a bit delighted to be doing something more active than just sitting around, as what they had mostly been doing since her influx. "Yes, and thank you, Solomon… I'd like to go outside."

He nodded, and took a position at her left-hand side, Haji at her right. They moved together easily, as if a puzzle had long waited to be finished and now, finally, was complete. And though Solomon _should_ have been leading the assemblage, it practically seemed as though Saya held the head position, while the other two fell into customary submission, behind an imperial queen in the making.

* * *

**A/N:** :) Huzzah, yet another chapter done. This story is going wonderfully, at least in my opinion, and I hope you all are enjoying this as thoroughly as I am. Once more, I must put in a small apology (as I probably will in every chapter). I titled it 'Obsession', and you all were probably thinking that Karl would have a bigger role and, well, I'm _sorry_. It just didn't fit the grand scheme that was planted firmly in my mind. Please continue reading, darlings! 


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six;**

_Jubilee_

ju·bi·lee: _n._ 1. a. A specially celebrated anniversary, especially a 50th anniversary.

b. The celebration of such an anniversary.

2. A season or an occasion of joyful celebration.

3. Jubilation; rejoicing.

* * *

Dawn arrived, per usual, though more menacing then ever before. It was as if even the earth and universe, holding sun, moon and stars, knew that something dark and dismal was coming at a pace far faster than anything could think possible.

Eyes opened half-way, groggily, and as she twisted her body weakly so that she rested her weight mainly on her left side, the image of Diva resting beside her met her view. She said nothing, and did nothing, this action of the sisters sharing a bed becoming usual. She kept a gaze upon her sister's angelic features, which made her _own_ seem boring, and if anything, demonic, before tearing them away to Haji, who took a post but a few inches from the bed.

"Did you have a good night sleep?" Saya asked softly, smiling a bit, though as soon as the question was out in words, the realization that her chevalier did not _need_ to sleep was pounded into her mind. She was about to add how she had forgotten that fact, and maybe even change the subject, when a hand was placed on her shoulder, grip firm and almost painful.

"Sister…" Her voice was placid, and with raspy traces from just waking up, she continued in a sing-song tone, "This is the best day, you _do_ know why, don't you? I adore this day the most, because it marks something special!" The words had poured out of her mouth rapidly, allowing Saya little time to try to comprehend and ponder over what she had just said.

"…N…No, I don't know what this day is." The elder queen responded tentatively, looking at the younger in hopes that she might further explain as to why this day should hold so much importance to her.

Immediately, Diva looked displeased, and went on to say in a childishly forlorn way, "This is a day of partying, because it was the day I was about to go to sleep, and the day you were awoken by that dreadful Red Shield."

Now was the time Saya became wary and cautious of her sister and her motives. Why would she bring up such a horrible day, none the less elevate it to a day of celebration and something worth appraisal, treating it like a holiday?

"Diva, I'm sorry but, how is that something special? It was such an awful day for me, being artificially awoken, and I permanently injured one of your chevaliers and killed so many people." Saya commented quietly.

At this, the younger sister began to laugh wildly, and Saya winced barely, pushing the sheets from off of her and getting up from bed, casting Haji a slightly stricken look. However, before she could make a motion to do anything in particular, even to take a step, there was barely a noticeable blur and Diva stood before her.

They were close, nightgowns brushing, and the younger sister rested her forehead against the elder's, smiling like none before and grasping her hands and holding them forcefully.

"_Sister_, they're such lovely memories, though. Let me tell you why, before you have your dear Haji help you dress. It's so easy to remember, I was preparing to sleep and then I heard you, your screams and angry shouts, it was so exciting! I could hear guns and the wails and cries dying people, and even when your silly chevalier tried to stop you." Diva paused to look with obvious amusement at Haji, before continuing, "That's when I began to sing, because I wanted you to come to me, and you did…but that horrid Karl got in your way, but you punished him for coming between us. It was splendid. I kept singing and you kept fighting…until Amshel came and told me I had to stop playing around, because it was time to go. I thought of taking you with me, you know, and to think this whole mess of you being isolated with awful humans could have not happened had he not been so mean as to not let me have my way."

A mixture of emotions flooded into her heart. Anger, that her younger sister should dare remind her of such a painful time in her life. Greif, as she had been reminiscing upon such a relentlessly rigorous subject for far too long. And, an odd sense of belonging, because of hearing that her sister had sang to summon her, and that she had wanted her.

"Diva…" Saya began, but didn't finish it, instead, she smiled something worthy of comparison to her sister's own one. She wrapped her arms around her tightly in a hug, mentally tensing and preparing for the worst of reactions, but relaxed with relief when she felt arms wrap around her, and she proceeded, "…This…really is a special day. I'll be happy to celebrate it with you."

There was a giggle, a few softer fits of laughter, and Diva parted, taking a few easy steps backwards, "I think I'll have Nathan help me get dressed. He's made us each a new dress, and I'll someone send you yours over, they're our party dresses. I'll see you later, big sister." She said, giddily, and walked out of the room humming.

Silence blanketed the room like fresh snow, covering everything and sparing nothing, and almost seemed more strenuous then ever before. Saya glanced at her quiet chevalier, wondering how to make it all less painful for herself.

"Haji…will you show me how to play the cello better?"

* * *

"She's such a cute thing, sister is." She stated easily, holding out her arms for her chevalier to pull up the sleeves of her dress, "I hope she will have at least half as much fun as I, because I don't want her to ruin it for me."

Nathan nodding, sighing with a smile, "You are definitely serious about this event, aren't you, Diva? To even go so far as to hold a ball…" He asked lightly, pulling the sleeves up and fastening the laces in the back of the dress, a hands reaching out and grabbing a few locks of his hair stopped him, pulling his head forward in a jerky motion so that he hovered above Diva's shoulder.

She turned her head slightly to smile at him, "Yes, I am, and sister doesn't know about the big party yet so don't…_spoil_ it. You know how much hate having my plans wrecked."

"Of course, of course," Was Nathan's only response, finishing up the final touches to her dress before moving on to her lengthy tresses, trying to decide on what new fashionable style he would use that day.

* * *

He raised a fist to the large mahogany door, embellished with a variety of intricate engraved designs, and knocked subtly upon it. His face was blank, though only in anticipation to see the elder queen, in his left hand were two items; the first a thin rectangular box, and the other was bigger, though only in length, and both were decorated in wrapping paper and with ruby bows for each, the coloration of the bows matching the beloved color his second queen's eyes when altered.

"Come in." A voice rang out softly, giving him the permission he deemed compulsory, and placed a hand on the knob, turning it in a motion practically too quick for the mere human eye to catch, and then pushing it open, a smile gracing his features.

However, the sight that met his eyes was not that pleasing to _him_, though he knew it was not his place to have such a bias verdict. Saya was seated with the cello before her, one arm curled around the neck of it, a hand holding the bow to the strings, and Haji leaning over her, his hands on her own, guiding her along.

The raising of coffee colored eyes rising up to meet his own gaze gave him the closest thing to a chill he had ever felt, "Oh, Solomon, hello… Why are you here?" She asked, smiling, though it savored of an elegiac nature. Her words broke the stupor he had been in, and the man garbed in white took a few liquid steps towards her, tightening and loosening his grip on the presents.

"I've brought your gifts." The flaxen stated, somehow, and in someway, keeping on his version of a poker-face, fully equipped with a smile and gentle eyes. The smile directed towards him from the girl was broadened, though not by much, but still, it was something.

It seemed the moment her muscles tensed, to perform the action of standing, her chevalier had already moved upwards and away so that he no longer hovered above his queen and mother.

Saya met him in the middle, the lower rim of her nightdress brushing against his legs ever so lightly, and she gazed expectantly at him, quite used to him, and no longer feeling absurd or awkward in his company. Not far behind her, Haji sustained his position.

"Here." Solomon stated serenely, offering one present to her first, the thinner box with the shape resembling a rectangle.

She took it eagerly, and then paused, only looking at it, not bothering to go straight to the part of unwrapping it. She could feel the puzzled look of Solomon on her, and she looked up to him, a much more sincere and content smile now replacing the indistinctly doleful one. "I haven't gotten I gift like this in a while, and I just…well, I appreciate it." Saya said, with a tone close enough to a state which one could call thick with emotion.

A hand was raised to the mouth, to conceal the softest of chortles that quickly ensued, and the queen looked at him with sheer disorientation.

"My apologies, Saya, please, don't mind me and unwrap your present." Solomon prompted, closing his eyes halfway. She nodded in agreement, fingers tearing at the thin flamboyant paper wildly before it could fully register in her mind, the top of the sachet was lifted, and her breath caught in her throat as if it had been turned into thorns.

The item within it was a dress, and a beautiful one at that. Delicately, as if concerned it might be brittle as a leaf and break away in her fingers, she lifted it out, resting the remaining portions of the box on the ground, and held the gown before her. It had an obsidian color as its base, a top with no sleeves that was meant to cling to the torso with a red butterfly placed where the belly-button might be, and the lower half looked to be of silk material, cut to the length of her upper calves.

"It's gorgeous, Solomon…but, I don't think I can wear something as nice as this." Saya stated timidly, looking at the attractive garment with unsure eyes.

"You should thank Nathan, he thought this suited you, and, you must, Saya. You will look splendid in it." He responded easily, touching the edge of the skirt and running his finger along it, glancing from it to her, "I'll assist you with it."

The back of her neck warmed, and she slowly shook her head, "No…no it's fine, Solomon. Even Haji doesn't help me dress, if anything he simply zips or buttons the back up." She stated, trying to sound appreciative. He nodded, understanding, and then looked away, as did the other reserved chevalier, as she slipped off the nightgown.

Against her skin, the material was soft and smooth, a detail she noted as she pulled her arms through the sleeves. "Haji," She summoned slowly, motioning to the back of her dress with a single hand, requiring his aid. The back was cut in a 'v' shape, wide at the top and slimming towards the bottom, which came to an end at about a little above the base of her spine, a variety of thin decorative cords to be used to tie it up.

As Haji fastened the back, arms appeared on either side of her head. She didn't have to ask a question, as an answer was spoken, as if he had known she would be bewildered.

"It's a necklace, and I hope you won't mind I took the initiative to place it on you myself, Saya." Solomon stated, and she could barely hear the near inaudible _chink!_ of the metal as he hooked it together.

The pendant, whatever it was, was cool to the touch and rested a few inches above her chest. Silently, she fingered it, and then lifted it up and gasped, however, it was a mix between shock of the look of it, and the fact that Haji had finished, leaving her diaphragm suppressed and tightened beneath it.

The jewel seemed to have both the features of a diamond and a crystal, in the form of a tear drop, though had odd splashes of red within it, frozen forever within the hard substance.

"The stone is called a blood diamond." The opposing queen's chevalier said, coming to stand before her. Nodding absent mindedly, she continued to admire the jewel, no larger than her thumb, running a finger over the facets tenderly.

Wordlessly, Solomon offered her the second gift, which was peered at curiously in wonder, before finally being snatched up by the recipient. She tore away the paper much quicker than before, all hesitances gone, lifting the lid from it and then letting it slide from her hand, to the floor, as she stared at the gift within.

It was a sword, the thing she had asked for when Amshel had inquired after her what she desired. It looked relatively expansive, and the thing that fervently called for the eye was a glimmering gem located just above the handle, a gem she assumed to be another blood diamond. She was utterly speechless with thanks, but the message seemed to be given.

"I don't mean to rush you, but I must urge you at any rate. It seems as though Diva is planning something, and she won't like to be kept waiting." Solomon stated unperturbedly, which was returned with a nod of the head, the three preparing for the great celebration that would hold more exciting events than any thought possible.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh, yuck. I disliked this chapter completely, for some reason or another. D: I hope none of you feel the same way as I, or else I'll be without that special (and creepy) subconscious feeling I receive when I know people are reading my story. Suffer with me, will you?- as I try and scrape together some chapters over this holiday break.

P.S: Yes, I made up the blood diamond thing. -- I thought it sounded cool so, yeah. x3 When you think of Saya's new sword, just picture the second one David gave her, with George's remnant in it. …This is my longest chapter so far. :0


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven;**

_Reunion_

re·un·ion: _n._ 1. a. The act of reuniting.

b. The state of being reunited.

2. A gathering of the members of a group who have been separated.

* * *

The band struck up, and as it did so, the young man straightened his tie once, twice, then a few times more. He could feel an insupportable habit fast approaching. 

"We'll meet you back by the entrance once this event is over, which is in roughly two hours from now. Remember, Kai, it is crucial that we retrieve Saya." A serious toned voice, notable as David's, spoke strictly to him, Julia at his side.

The ginger-haired young man nodded, though he could not keep the traces of doubt from his features and eyes.

"What about Haji, won't he be a huge obstacle for us? And…Diva," Kai struggled to say the name of the singing, chiropteran queen without contempt, "She won't like the fact that we're trying to get Saya back on her side, and _her_ chevaliers will probably be positioned around her too, right…?"

As he trailed off, David was quick to respond, not allowing time, or room, for pessimistic thoughts to enter and grow in their minds.

"Haji will, most likely, not try to hurt us, though if Saya commands him to, no doubt he will become problem, along with the others, as you assume. If we locate Saya, and seize the opportunity by placing our plans into action, this will all go down well. Do _not_ let your emotions and 'ethics' get in the way of your job, do what you have to do." The elder man stated firmly, in such a way that Kai could not retort or object him. This was no time for worry, only action, they absolutely _not_ afford to have their plans averted.

Once more, Kai nodded in understanding, and with that the three parted from each other's company. Lewis was to wait in the parking lot, so that he could survey everything going, contact them if the Key, 'the Key' being a codename for Saya, was exiting the building, or if something appeared to be going erroneous. The structure was modeled in a rectangular shape, making so there were parts sections to be searched through, the west wing, the east wing, and the middle section.

In the eastern part, the dining room was being held, and that was where Julia was to search, along with a select few trained men. The western part consisted of various entertainments, such as the symphony, along with the occasional small theatre act, accompanied by a multitude of seats for people to listen, watch, or make pleasantries with one another, and this was to be looked through by David who was, once more, to be accompanied by a few Red Shield operatives.

Last, but not least, remained the central of the building. A large stage resided there, yet to be involved in any sort of activity, keeping its ruby curtains closed. Many a couple danced on the glassy, marble floor, and this miscellaneous portion was his to sift through, though; he did not have any Red Shield men with him, rather, the Schiff. The two sides had made a little…deal, one could call it.

The remaining four, Moses, Lulu, Karman, and Irene, had agreed to assist the Red Shield, even though they, excluding the diminutive Lulu and placid Irene, clearly didn't like the idea of it. They stated that they would help retrieve Saya as to stop the Thorn by drinking her blood; however, they were down a person. Irene had fallen even more ill, the Thorn demolishing her body, she could not last more than a week longer without the blood of the person from whom her DNA had been established from.

The three had refused to exchange their attire for something more suiting of the occasion, _nor_ rid themselves of their weapons, so the fact that there had been a few medieval acts, and that the other party-goers would only think them to be a part of the leisure, at least _that_ aspect was working for their benefit.

Clearing his throat, he began to move through the crowds, fingering the discreetly small cell phone in his pocket, whose sole purpose was to be used to contact the others if…no, when he found Saya.

As he bumped into a woman, he rapidly apologized, though his voice trailed off when something caught his eye. Not too terribly far from the stage, and around twenty or so feet up from ground level, a small lanai jutted out from the wall, lavished seats and draperies could be seen, with a polished wood guardrail to keep whoever sat of there, most likely VIPs, from accidentally tumbling off.

Kai raised his eyebrows as an inspiration came to him. He could always find the way up there, and get a better view of the place, couldn't he? The man looked to his left, an uncomfortable looking Moses and peppy Lulu, and then to his right, to see an equally uncomfortable Karman.

Tilting his head forward a bit as he caught their attention, he used it as a signal to show that they should follow him, which they did so, though probably not out of willingness to follow his orders to please him, rather, to hurry and save their fellow comrade from her life threatening predicament.

They weaved through the rest of the mass of people liquidly, well, at least the Schiff did, Kai was a little less…graceful, but at any rate, they were soon to the other side of the large building, and inspecting the walls, quite thoroughly, before they found a concealed door.

"You three should stay down here, just to make sure that Saya and the rest aren't somewhere else." Kai ordered, though he was not met with hearty agreement, well, at least not from one person.

"We should go _with_ you, instead of just standing around here, doing nothing. Are you trying to say that we'd get in your _way_, that you could handle them by yourself if you found them?" Karman stated, not holding back any scorn from the tone in his voice. Vaguely, a sigh could have been heard from Lulu, tired of hearing the petty arguments her companion created much too often.

"Karman," Moses stated quietly, per usual, though his sea foam hued eyes were alight with a fierce, fighting nature, "Kai is…correct. Besides, if he happened to be ambushed by them, it wouldn't help if we were there to fall into the trap as well. This is a valid point, so we will do as he says."

There was a low, incoherent grumbling of response from the fair orange haired man, before Kai proceeded to open the door, carefully, and then began to climb the stairs with only one last, small glance back at the others.

His steps were slow, precise, he made sure to be quiet as he pulled out a gun from a holster, which had been kept hidden beneath the jacket layer of his suit, and cautiously peered around ever corner he got to.

Towards what he believed to be the top, there was another door, and from inside it sounded as though there was something, or someone, within. However, when he tried the doorknob, it was locked, and whatever noise he had heard stopped.

Resignedly, Kai turned once more and headed up the rest of the few feet of stairs, and though in semi-low spirits, his wary alertness was attained.

Now at the top, as he leaned against the railing, dark eyes fervently scanning below with the utmost care. He needed to; no…he _had_ to find probably the last precious person in his life.

* * *

She ceased to hum when the knob to their door jiggled, then halted, and footsteps could be heard as, whoever it was, began to walk away. Though, this was only momentarily, and she continued once more, a few giggles being slurred into the merry mix.

"Will you go after that foolish boy, big sister?" Diva asked solemnly, leaning into her sister with a pleading, docile smile, "He's going to annoy me by sticking his dirty nose in our matters. Will you kill him, for me?"

The room, consisting of five people, seemed to tense with the question hanging in the air. The elder could not dare refuse the younger, while the latter held control.

"…Of course, sister." Was her reply, though she had no inkling of who she was to lead to their ultimate demise, but she would do it none the less for the various, presentiment reasons.

"Mmm," The singer began to state, palpable delight flitting across her face, "Then you should leave now, with Solomon and Nathan to help you."

She raised both eyebrows, accompanied by a puzzled demeanor, and then inquired, "Only…Solomon and Nathan? I can't bring Haji along with me as well?" The said black-haired man shifted a bit, so that he near loomed over his queen.

Diva shook her head, a wicked grin on her features.

"This _child_ of yours can stay and keep me company! And, he might not be willing to run the Red Shield off, I still don't trust him." The younger said, in a fashion very much like a pout.

Dismally, Saya spared a glance at her close comrade from the corner of her sienna eyes. This would be, without a doubt, a strange and odd battle, to be without the chevalier that had accompanied her throughout most of her life.

"Sister, go. Now." The younger queen stated, leaving no room for questions, or words to further plead her case.

The elder turned, soundlessly and without complaint, refusing to meet the dark eyes of the one who would make her feel as though she was acting pathetic and submissive, because it was, of course, all too true.

From there, she walked to the door, unlocking it and stepping out in subtle movements, all the while flanked by two men with flaxen tresses. Nathan handed Saya her sword, and she took it eagerly, running fingers down it affectionately, as if reunited with a long time friend. She couldn't help but notice that the one whom had just given her the sword was gazing at her with a contented and vaguely amused gaze.

But now wasn't the time to suffer under such a gaze, a thing that almost seemed degrading to her pride, she moved liquidly up the stairs, feeling as though her abilities were stifled in the stylish dress she was garbed in, but still making excellent progress.

The light pouring in through the small balcony, overlooking the rest of the party, seemed to increase in brightness with each step, and at the top, she narrowed her eyes, not at the level of light which shone into them, but rather, the person she saw.

The young man before her caused her psyche to be flooded to the brim with painful, nostalgic memories, forcing her to feel a much too nostalgic sadness, but over all, anger. She was irate with him, because he was the one she had been ordered to kill, she would not only see Riku's face, but his too, soon.

"Why are you here?" Saya asked of him, as he turned to look at her with an ever hopeful smile, but was only met with a cold glare.

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, yeah, I know, you people are going to reprimand me for two things. One being the fact I haven't updated for a while, while the other is the fact that Irene is alive, while the other two guys (whose names I have conveniently forgotten) are dead. x3 Hopefully you thought this was a good chapter. 

P.S: I've fixed the chapter up. ;3 It seems I had spelled Karman's name wrong, so I came back and fixed it for future readers. And my apologies if I've spelled 'Schiff' wrong, I'm using Wikipedia to aid me in this treacherous writing journey.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight;**

_Pain_

Pain: _n._ 1. An unpleasant sensation occurring in varying degrees of severity as a consequence of injury, disease, or emotional disorder.

2. Suffering or distress

* * *

Her pulse was quickening, and she didn't understand. She hated not comprehending a matter, any matter in general, it make her feel like an incompetent. How was she to survive if she was an incompetent, how was she supposed to _kill_ him?

"Saya…Saya I'm here because I want to bring you back." Kai began, seeming to almost stumble over his own words, too anxious for her liking. How could he sound so determined and happy? She didn't have time to mull over these thoughts, because the person she once thought to be a 'brother' proceeded to continue, like nothing else in the world mattered.

"We need you to come back, we desperately need you…and so do I. Saya-"

"Enough." She stated quietly, though oddly firm and determined. The recipient of the statement blinked, raising his eyebrows a few notches, looking at her completely bewildered.

Kai took it easily, though was beginning to feel unsettled, "You don't understand, Saya…Saya you're our last hope, you know we can't win without you. You're the key to everything, a vital pillar, without you we'll continue to crumble away!"

There was that word, that dreadful word, 'understand'. She had once been so confused, as if lost at sea, engulfed by fog and abyss-like night and drowning, but now she at least could see, she had a beacon now; she had a raft to sustain life. Diva was her…_'key'_, as they put it.

"I am not you're 'key', Kai, I'm not a pawn for the Red Shield to manipulate anymore." She responded evenly, able to look at him steadily without giving away too much of her emotions.

_This_ was something Kai could not take easily, could not and would not accept, "Saya-"

"Please stop saying my name, stop saying anything at all. I am…happy here, you're only tormenting me…and you have no right." She quickly cut him off, Solomon shifted forward behind her, Nathan as well, but she glanced at them to keep them back. She couldn't kill Kai, nor could she let anyone else as long as she was in control of the situation.

He was about to say more, she could tell, but he was beat to words by someone else, a different, and far more eerie and daunting voice, to be sure.

"Saya's correct, of course, only _I_ have such a wondrous right!" With that tenacious statement, an almost black, navy blur came from above, landing with only the softest of thuds before Kai.

"Karl, so nice of you to join us…is Diva aware of your hasty return?" Nathan asked, taking the initiative to speak, all the while identifying the obscured and abrupt presence.

Dark eyes, incensed and yet flourishing with ecstasy, shifted for but a brief moment to the face of the blonde who has just spoken to him, as if that was a returned greeting adequate enough, before returning his attention once more to Saya's temporary 'tormenter'.

"I'll kill him for you, Saya. However, in turn I want you to grant me a favor of my own." Karl offered, a devious form of something like a smile flitting across his lips.

Of course, she declined with a reserved narrowing of the eyes, close to a glare, shaking her head. However, Kai's reaction was not as calm and composed as the young woman whom he still believed to be a sibling to him.

"Kill me…?" He trailed off, looking bleakly at Karl, who, in turn, smirked at full capacity towards his general direction.

"Of course! My precious bride cannot soil her hands with such vermin like you and your _Ref Shield_; she must save her energy for our final dance!" The chiropteran with obsidian locks laughed, sheer lunacy glowing brightly in his jaded eyes.

"I will not be soiling my hands because of one reason alone, and it is not because you will be the one doing it, but because he shall not be killed." Saya stated. She seemed to take control of them easily now, Kai noted, without the hesitation of whether or not they would actually listen to her words.

Karl's brow furrowed in confusion and anger, "Why can't he be killed?!" He asked, though the term 'yelling' would be so much more appropriate, for the sheer volume of his voice was great enough for anyone who was alert to hear.

Cocking her head to the side, she rose from her crouched position, crinkling her nose as the dreaded smell of chiropterans filled her nose. She had heard yelling, from the small balcony above, and when she looked to Moses and Karman, seeing their heads turned upwards as well, she knew she had not been wrong.

"Moses…" Lulu stated, trailing off, glancing at the person whom was their alleged leader. He glanced at her apprehensively, and then moved with abnormal speed to the balcony with the two in tow, the trio's movements a sheer blur.

The sight that caught held their attention was one they had expected, though, far less gruesome.

"Kai!" Lulu cried out, as she saw Karl so near to him with the look of bloodlust in his eyes. The ginger-haired young man had confusion and the vaguest glimmers of fear in his demeanor, gazing solely at Saya, their target.

One of the two flaxen, by the name of Nathan, had already turned to face them, the smallest of pleasurable smiles adorning his features. Near inaudibly, Karman could be heard swearing. A few nights ago they had faced a chevalier chiropteran with the looks of an African origin, and they hadn't been capable of defeating him, losing two of their own in the process. How were they supposed to win in this case, with three chevaliers against them? Though the ratio was even, the limits and strengths of the opposing sides were too different.

Saya now turned her attention to them, and for a moment she looked aggravated, aggravated that she now had to decide how to evade killing them, she was not emotionally prepared for such a difficult feat as causing _their_ demise.

"And what, pray tell, are the Schiff doing cavorting around with the Red Shield?" Nathan asked, a replica of a friendly note in the tone of his voice. The fingers on Solomon's right hand quickly elongated and sharpened, flesh substance fluctuating to something like metal, until a rapier of substantial proportion took the spot of the extremity.

Her attention was, successfully, diverted amongst them. Keeping Karl in line, watching the Schiff in case they began to attack, trying to beat down the guilt that Kai riled up from the depths of her soul, hoping Nathan wouldn't provoke anyone to unnecessary actions, simply perplexed over how Solomon would react, and even wondering what Diva and Haji were doing.

"Karl. I want you to make the Red Shield leave this place. I don't care how you do it…just as long as no one is killed. We will save that detail for another day." Saya stated, gazing pointedly at the chevalier.

His hands trembled, threatening to enlarge, the next thing to go through a spasm being his body. The chiropteran had a vicious temper, especially when the situations revolved around his obsession.

"Karl." Solomon stated soothingly, though not without the slight hint of warning.

"And leave Kai to me." The queen added quickly, before he could advance towards the human, triggering a longing and irate sigh to be exhaled from his lips, one that seemed to tremble with the struggle to contain his actions.

"So be it. However," Karl stated, moving in almost invisible motions, coming to stand beside Saya, "Before I go, I must have payment for being a…obedient little chevalier." And before Solomon could protest, as he no doubt would have, Karl drew his left, unnatural facsimile of a hand over her arm, cutting her slightly with one or two of his sharp claws. She didn't wince or push him away, it would heal within moments.

He smiled in a twisted way, turning away from her and gazing fixedly at his bloodied monstrous hand, chanting lowly beneath his breath, "Soon all of it shall spill. All of it, all of it!"

With that Karl left, and in addition, the Schiff waited no longer to strike, Moses drew his scythe, while the other two wielded their own properly as well. Nathan sighed, placing a fisted hand to his hip and narrowing his eyes, "Well, whatever will I do with you now? My precious queen isn't quite ready to kill, and oh, that _does_ make my job quite the precarious thing, doesn't it?"

They moved in a swift movement, trying to get to Saya, though Nathan easily halted them, and if one was listening close enough, they could say that they could hear him chuckle softly now and then.

All in all, this left Saya and Solomon free, and the former took this opportunity to further attempt to force Kai to go. But, he was stubborn, too stubborn for his own good in her opinion.

"I have already told you that I won't be going back with you, so you might as well save your energy for taking your leave from here." Saya stated solemnly, her eyes hard, one hand clasped over her sheath and the sword within.

"And I've old _you_ that we need you. As well as the Schiff, they need either your blood or Diva's to save them from the Thorn." Kai stated evenly, taking a step towards her, but as he did, Solomon matched the movement, acting as the barricade to keep him from his second queen. Kai's face reflected his irritation for the chevalier, his jaw set.

"You cannot have my sister's," Saya retorted, and at this yet again Karman swore, saying something quickly to Moses in an irked manner as they once again tried to get past Nathan, she continued, "To get to her, you must get through me…and her chevaliers. Your task isn't easy, that's why I want you to give up. I can't kill you, Kai, but Diva can and most likely will, and even you know I'll be able to do nothing if she chooses to do so."

He seemed hesitant with his words, because he knew that what she said was true, and being nothing but a mortal there was innate fear for the safety of his life and his own well-being, as well as the others.

"…Saya, if you won't willingly let us have Diva's blood, can't you at least spare us some of your own?" Kai implored, his mind now on Irene, withering away while cracks spread over her body.

There was silence from the queen, and Solomon glanced at her. Briefly, he wondered if she was changing into something else, something much too similar her younger sister. Though he felt oddly calmed that her gentle persona had yet to waver when she drew her sword and made a cut on her arm, close to where Karl hand had temporarily wounded her. Nathan and the three Schiff had ceased to spar, the fair-haired man simply smiling as though he had already assumed that she would act like this when it to it. Lulu blinked, and then grinned with appreciation and she ambled over to Saya, much to Karman and Moses' dismay for being so close to the queen.

"…Thank you, Saya. The nice lady, Julia, will exam the blood and ours to see if it's compatible, for Irene. You're saving her, and I'm really happy you're sharing your blood." Lulu stated with a peppy voice, handing her a glass capsule, about the length of a hand, for the blood to go in.

The elder sister gave no reply to the optimistic little girl, and once the case was half-way filled she stopped, looking at Kai.

"Kai," Saya began, catching his attention, and vaguely frowning when he saw even he had traces of a smile on his lips, "I won't go back with you. Just because I give you my blood does not mean I will continue to help the Red Shield's cause. You must promise not to come any more, all else can proceed to vainly try and kill Diva, but you yourself must stay away. And, you cannot use this blood I give you to enhance any of your weapon to kill my sister."

"Nankurunaisa…" He murmured beneath his breath, smirking in his usual obdurate fashion, "Whatever you say, Saya." Kai stated, clasping his hands behind his neck, as if this occasion was a casual one. Of course, he had told a lie. He had to do whatever it took to bring her back.

She fought the urge to shift uncomfortably when she caught the nostalgic word.

Finally, Saya handed the capsule back to Lulu, seeming to make sure not to make contact with her, as if she might be burned. Now, she turned to Kai once more, and her visage was blank.

"Go, now, Kai." She commanded, and he did so submissively, Moses and Lulu taking his arms and jumping down off the balcony behind Karman, making sure their movements were too quick for any of the other party-goers to notice. But before they had jumped, Kai had looked back just once more, eyes holding a promise she could not decipher, and a promise she was sure she would not appreciate.

As Saya watched them weave through the crowds, Nathan sighed, walking over to her and began to guide her out of the balcony and to the staircase, Solomon beside her as well.

"Good gracious, my second queen is much too soft." Nathan stated in a teasing way, "Perhaps we'll have to toughen you up a bit. Starve you to make your spirit more wild and cruel, lock you up in a tower, perhaps? Those methods worked on Diva, so it seems."

"Come now, Nathan." Solomon retorted placidly, looking at the queen now. "You are fine the way you are, Saya."

She offered the two the smallest of smiles, "He is right in a way though, Solomon." At this Nathan playfully smirked and winked at the other chevalier as they walked down the stairs, as though her approval was something to boast about.

"I'll have to become stronger, but…but I wonder if Diva would even allow that, for it could seem like a threat." Saya added, biting the corner of her lower lip, the past moments almost forgotten.

Solomon looked at her fondly, because he could sense that if she advanced, she would indeed be viewed more warily, though he found the prospect entirely thrilling, and also found that he felt no guilt, when such a thought as traitorous as that entered his psyche.

* * *

**A/N:** Dx Yucky chapter…and I took forever to update. My apologies. Yes, I know that Irene should have already died by now, and _many_ other things should have already happened by now, but remember, I'm doing this different. ;3 Nyeh. I dislike this chapter with a passion, because it's nothing really at all other than the transition of her blood. Well, anyways, in the next chapter there shall be a death…or maybe two. But I won't tell you, or else I'm sure there will be people complaining, and that probably won't change my mind. All it would do is put me in an unpleasant mood. ….LOVE YA ALL. 83 


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine;**

_Emotion_

e·mo·tion: _n._ 1. A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes; a feeling: the emotions of joy, sorrow, reverence, hate, and love.

2. A state of mental agitation or disturbance.

3. The part of the consciousness that involves feeling; sensibility

* * *

"You wish to get…stronger, big sister?" Diva inquired, traces of the beginnings of a smile embellishing her lips. 

There was a nod of the head from Saya, as she sat in a chair within the garden, Haji standing beside her while Diva sat across from them, her own multitude of chevaliers observing from a table a few feet away, every now and then seeming to converse with one another about whatever peeked their interests.

"Ah, but you seem strong enough to me, Saya." The younger responded evenly, driving a needle through a voodoo doll, her thirteenth one of the day.

"…Physically, perhaps, but I am not strong when it comes to my mental capacity."

There was a giggle, and then the vaguest, playful frown, "Oh. You are serious, then? Well, dear sister, _I_ have more than enough strength for the both of us. I am your strength, so what more could you need?"

Had she been with any other, the elder queen might have sighed, for she felt as though she was getting no where, what with her sister's immature persona. But, she had to hold composure, thus the void expression she fashioned her visage with.

"Diva, you wish for me to kill the Red Shield. And though I am grateful that I can consider you as my strength, I know that if I am to complete what you ask of me, I need to become more apt." Saya avowed, brushing a lock or two away from her left eye. "I would like you to grant me permission to train, so that I can…serve you better."

The toy's head was mutilated by the needle, the thin strings which tethered it with the plush body being severed until it plopped down to the ground, soon followed by the rest of the ruined doll. The azure eyed queen waved her hand in a dismissive manner, wetting her lips before she spoke once more.

"Fine, whatever, big sister. You may _train_ as you wish, and I'll even let you use my child, James, to help you." Diva stated with a small smile. "In fact, train now! I wish to go sing, anyways, so you will stay here."

Saya inclined her head with gratitude, though Diva had already turned and skipped over to her four chevaliers. There was a brief moment of talking, a good portion of it consisting of the young queen's words, before she pointed towards her sister and Haji, looking eloquently at James.

The dark-skinned chevalier could be seen nodding his head before slowly, and almost audibly reluctantly walking towards Saya and her own chevalier, while the others turned to follow their queen.

"I suppose I'll survey the…skills you possess at the time, to decipher what we will need to work on." James stated, his tone as bland as ever. "I want you to fight your chevalier like you would when you sparred at any other time."

She nodded her head, though could not help but feel an odd, unnatural innate tense tighten her body from head to toe, as if her sheer instinct knew that being ordered around by a chevalier was simply…wrong, that the roles had been completely mixed up. And, with that feeling, came the accompanied urge to change it, so that she was dominate over the creature that was pre-destined to be a subordinate.

However, being the inexperienced thing she was, and not fully knowing exactly what the sensitivity was, or how to deal with it properly, she took out whatever aggression she had attained against Haji in their little joust.

Saya's movements were quick, James noted, though not even close to the velocity of his mother's, and her precision lacked luster, and, well, many a thing. Mentally, he let out a sigh of premature exasperation, only for his beloved queen and mother would he do this trivial task.

"Enough." He ordered, and Saya fought back the need to furrow her brow in frustration, because, once more, it did not feel right, though she retained it and contented herself to look over at him blankly, feeling oddly quite indignant.

James proceeded to protract his words, "You are being too gentle with him. Haji is your chevalier, and therefore at your disposal, in practice you must hold nothing back against him, use killing means. But I doubt you are capable of such a feat, you are too…compassionate, almost to the point of ignorance, and so I will begin to test you limits myself, though you may not use your blood against me in any circumstance. Your blood is no longer a necessary object, and will not be consider lethal if you cease to use it."

Another nod of the head from the elder queen, and James turned, beginning to walk out of the garden. Saya arched an eyebrow, glancing at Haji. She had expected him to start at that moment.

"James…?" She called, finding it a tad odd to say his name, for she believed she had never said it before, "Where are you going?"

He bothered not to stop his steady pace, to turn around and face her, or even spare just one last glance back at her. "I must go speak to Diva…there is a matter that has come to my attention, and I must confront her over it."

James was quickly gone, and Saya found herself plunging her sword into the ground, leaving it there and walking over to a patch of chrysanthemums, leisurely kneeling down beside them.

Haji moved like her shadow, and when swiveled her head around a bit to see him, she offered him a smile and patted the ground beside her. But of course, he lowered himself down a few inches or so from her, keepinh one leg resting straight against the ground, while his left leg was bent so that he could rest an arm there as to reside in a much more comfortable position.

"We haven't had much time to speak…these weeks, or months, however long it's been. I want to apologize, because it seems as though Diva spends more time with her chevaliers then I do with my own, and I need to follow her example. It feels like our relationship of chevalier and queen is tense and strained." She stated, fingering the grass and pulling out a few of the thing, wispy blades.

"It has been one month, though we shall soon be entering our second. There is no need to apologize, Saya, as our association is not in the least bit overwrought." Haji replied, stiff voice contrasting greatly with her own open manner of speaking.

"See? You're contradicting me. I know this…strain of emotion between us isn't right, but I don't know what to do, Haji. I can't figure out how to please you." Saya avowed firmly, eyeing him with intense ferocity, as though the thought of the two not being on good terms completely chagrined her.

"I am not contradicting you. As I've stated before, there is nothing for you to fret about. It is not me whom you should focus on pleasing."

"Is it not natural for me to worry over a comrade? If you are displeased, then so am I. It is the same as when you are happy, because it gives me joy. Who, then, who should I try and please? Diva? Solomon? Nathan? Karl? Perhaps even the Red Shield? But, really, _that _is the problem, isn't it? You don't approve." She confirmed, letting herself fall onto her back, looking up at the sky, and then once more returning her attention to the stoic man.

He remained silent, true to his natural reticent nature; though his already dark eyes shadowed even more at her words, face expressionless.

"You are already trying to please your sister, so that is no longer an option. And, pray tell, what do I not approve of?" Haji inquired, keeping his voice steady, while his queen's had raised an octave or two.

She couldn't truly remember the last time she had felt like this, a perplexed and longing anger, the only other time perhaps being when James had ordered her. Saya sighed, the lids falling halfway over her chocolate eyes. The young woman aspired to say that she could stop pleasing her sister whenever she wanted to, but she knew that to be false. It was like she had the view of paradise, while trapped in a golden cage. How could everything feel so perfect, and yet also be so horrible?

"You don't approve of me leaving the Red Shield to join in alliance with Diva." Saya stated, with a note close to sour resonating in her throat. She felt too much like a child, acting like this, her comparison to her younger sister become too similar for her liking.

She waited for his answer, but upon receiving none, she forced herself to sit back up.

"…Can't you say anything, Haji? Your silence is a cruel thing." The queen stated, feeling rather aggrieved, though deep down she knew that this was just the way he was.

His gaze, which had been pointedly directed away to a different, random object, came back to rest on her. It was in his newfound nature to aspire to please his queen, and fervently keep her from being unhappy; he let out a soundless sigh, "My apologies, Saya, for making you feel such discontentment. It is your wish that I must fulfill, please remember that."

She hadn't wanted an apology from him, she didn't need one. What she had wanted was reassuring words, perhaps to console her, to help her decide once and for all whether or not she had made the right choice. But then again, she hardly knew what she wanted anymore; she could only turn to her sister now, to help her decode the difficult message that was called life.

"Haji…may I hug you?" Saya began, drawled out and thoughtful, she continued to explain her request, "There is no one else I feel comfortable with when it comes to such condolences. …Would you mind?"

Assuming he wouldn't respond, and taking it upon her own self to think that he would not both refuse and rebuke her; she leaned over and embraced him, briefly allowing her mind to wander on the past. Embracing her chevalier triggered her to think of Joel, the time when they had first been brought together, and then to when Haji had slipped on that craggy side of the cliff and tumbled to what should have been his death.

She shuddered, rebuffing the tears that pleaded to leak, and at this, whether out of sympathy or nurturing care, Haji placed a single arm around her, but she found herself not feeling any better off. If anything, she felt more wounded than before.

* * *

Nathan had just opened the door for her when James appeared, inclining his head forward in veneration before beginning to speak.

"Diva, I must ask you about what you plan on doing. Surely you must consider this dangerous, to allow her to train." The chevalier stated, looking at her with only the vaguest unsure mindset. His queen simply smiled, however small, it still showed she was completely amused by the prospect.

"Now, James, you don't think big sister could ever be stronger than me, now do you?" Diva inquired, both smugly and near pouting as she looked at her lesser.

"No. Of course not. Saya could not become better than you, in any way."

Running a few fingers through her hair, the young queen's smile appeared to broaden, the lids of her eyes closing halfway in a contented fashion. "Then my child has no reason to worry. Because if you worry, it makes me think you doubt me. And I don't like to be doubted."

Once more, he inclined his head, submissively this time. His queen was right, if she herself had decided that Saya could train while in coalition with her, then there would not be any reason to worry, he believed that she knew what she was doing.

"Now go, James. Big sister is probably bored with her unexciting chevalier, and I don't want her to be unhappy just because of that." Diva stated, sliding into the car. Nathan shut the door and headed to the passenger's side in the front, though paused once to wink at James and murmured something before he seated himself as well.

"Always looking out for mother's sake, are we, James?"

The brown-eyed chevalier watched sullenly as the car drove away, barely containing the glare that Nathan always seemed capable of provoking from him. He took a moment to clear his mind, before turning back to the gardens, back to the place where he would have to aid the elder queen. He found it odd, that the dominate younger sister would help the other, even though it seemed as though the plan might backfire so that the elder would take ascendancy, but James easily banished the thought from his mind. His mother declared that she would not stand for anyone doubting her, and he would always do as she wished.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright so there was no death in this chapter, so sorry. x3 I'll try and make these more interesting, though I'm sure you'll hate me once you see who I plan on killing. And I'm also apologizing if I'm confusing you, going back and forth between a kind Saya and a cold-hearted one. Nyeh. I didn't know quite how to play Haji in such an emotional position, so hopefully my best is good enough for all of you. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten;**

_Death_

death: _n_ 1. The act of dying; termination of life.

2. The state of being dead.

3. The cause of dying..

4. A manner of dying.

5. a. Bloodshed; murder.

b. Execution.

* * *

"_You're of no use to me now."_

_The gleam of the blades that the chevaliers carried caught her eye, along with the wicked smile her sister possessed._

"_You can die now, for me, big sister." Her voice was mocking, as Amshel killed Haji, and then her own chevaliers attacked her._

_She was without sword, without fighting companion, and without hope. Nathan slashed an arm and leg, James swiped at her face, Karl clawed to tear at her abdomen, and Solomon pierced her heart._

_The pain was excruciating, and she cursed her body for healing each time they wounded her. Their cuts and strikes were slow and precise, torturous and deadly. Death, would it not come soon enough?_

_All the while, her sister sang.

* * *

_

The cut she had made on her sister's bare left shoulder had not been subtle, but it had not been big enough to rouse her, for no doubt nothing would have roused the sleeping young woman, as they had injected a sedative into her systems. Wordlessly, she pointed to the slowly dripping blood, her intent was for Nathan to collect some.

The blonde did not look in the highest spirits as he did so, glancing at the other sleeping queen's visage, contorted in pain and slight fear.

"It seems as though my dear sister is having a scary nightmare." Diva stated, none to quietly as the blood was finally placed into a small container; Saya's wound already healing, so that the crusty remnants of blood remained as the only sign that any of the sticky red substance had been withdrawn.

"My queen, why do you need Saya's blood? It could not be safe for you, what with all its lethal possibilities, and for you to be so close to it simply annihilates my nerves." Nathan stated, paused, and then continued thoughtfully, "Now, I didn't think that her dear little Haji would allow this to happen."

Diva merely smiled at the blonde, cocking her head to the side and sighing contentedly, "Amshel is…keeping him company."

Nathan returned a smile for the sake of politeness, though his eyes flitted vaguely of disproval over her implications, "Goodness, aren't you the effervescent and creative one." He murmured thoughtfully beneath his breath, trailing after her out of the room. "What should I do with this, Diva?" He inquired, holding up the container of blood.

The young queen paused in her steps, swiveling her head round only slightly so that she could glance at him from the corner of her eye, "Put it in a glass, would you? And water it down a bit with some wine, but not too much. Keep it safe, Nathan."

With clear a clear perplexed nature, the chevalier simply nodded, glanced cagily at the object he held in his hands, and proceeded to walk towards the western wing where the kitchen was located.

* * *

So far it had been a pleasant day, and the fact that his queen had invited him to dine with her, as well as the others, was a delightful addition to it all.

But the thing that made him most ecstatic was the fact that Saya was there as well, sitting across from him. He interlaced his hands, fingers with makeshift claws, and rested his chin upon them as he gazed none-too contentedly at the elder queen. He shifted restlessly, as though a great accolade would soon be given to him within the next few moments.

Saya, in turn, shifted uncomfortably. Her own thoughts were on why Haji was not present and seated by her, so that instead Solomon resided at her right and Diva to her left. James was, much to his displeasure, seated at the oval-shaped table closest to Karl on the left, while Nathan was placed next to his mother and the previously mentioned fellow monstrous chevalier.

Diva smiled serenely, facade gleaming with strange anticipation.

"We should do something to celebrate big sister joining me. A toast, perhaps?" She asked, tone light and pleased, turning to look at Nathan and leaning into her sibling. "Say something nice, would you?"

The chevalier matched the smile easily, if not more so, eyes sliding from the younger queen to the older in a drawled movement. He gripped the base of his wine glass and rose with the utmost grace.

"What more could there be said than the fact that their alliances is like the morning sun as it rises to illuminate our days ahead. Here is to our mothers and brides, our lovers and queens. Your presence here is a lovely thing, Saya. You liken to a rose in Diva's garden, filled before with nothing but daisies and tulips, nothing so extravagant." Nathan stated melodiously, dramatically, per usual.

As the others rose to clink their glasses in agreement, debarring the two queens, a near dissatisfied look flitting across the younger's expression, though it remained for only the slightest moment until quickly replaced by a smile once more as the drinks were raised to everyone's lips.

Karl moved the glass about in a small circular moment, the liquid substance within swirling about.

Diva looked at him expectantly, "Karl, why don't you drink to what Nathan has said? Everyone else is."

He inclined his head forward and gave his usual smirk, bringing the glass to his lips and tipping it up. The wine has never before tasted so delicious; something about it was bitter and yet mesmerizing and sweet.

"The wine is delicious." Karl commented, smirk broadening a fraction as he looked towards Saya, noting that she had yet to touch hers, his mouth opened to state something, but then he froze, eyes widening. Nathan averted his gaze.

His heart pounded madly, and though his lungs felt compressed to the point of breaking and his breath should have been labored, he found that no air entered or exited his body. Karl could have bared his teeth in hatred, though he could do nothing, as cracks began to line his throat.

Diva could only smile, in a delighted fashion. The cracks were spreading, and he found himself deprived of feeling his hands, though he still gripped in the glass in a stalled state, his heart fluctuating from a rapid pace to barely beating at all.

Solomon rose urgently, thoroughly perplexed as to what was happening to his fellow chevalier, Saya narrowed her eyes, suffering under the same confusion. The former noted that Nathan no longer looked in any of their directions, and he furrowed his brow.

The younger of the two queens rose, and in an opaque movement was beside Karl, whose limbs were continuing to crack and turning to a pallid gray coloration.

"You really should have known I couldn't let you live," She stated in a sing-song voice. "After all, you always threatened big sister…you stupid fool. I should never have made you my chevalier; you were always troublesome, caring more about sister than me."

Now Karl could barely hear her, body severed in cracks until, finally, he was completely gone, face frozen like a frail stone with a multitude of gleaming ruby fissures. Without a care or loving consideration, Diva pushed against the lifeless statue of a body. It fell and shattered, glass equally breaking into a multitude of pieces, as the arm holding it broke off along with other extremities.

Saya, horrified, looked from the rubble of broken body pieces to her sister, who had turned away from it to look at the rest of them with a wicked smile. All in all she as speechless, wondering how she could even think of killing her own subordinate.

"There, dear sister," Diva began, as though presenting the other queen a reward of grand stature, "I've killed him, and now you won't have to worry…but, I suppose, it was really you who did it. I was growing tired of him, anyways." She paused, then yawned in a sort of self-satisfied way, "James…be a good child and take me to the gardens. I am sleepy and I want to take a nap."

Though clearly fearful of the woman, it only seemed to increase the dark-skinned chevalier's reverence and submission toward her, and he nodded, rising and walking away with her as she hummed.

Diva's humming still rang in her ear, and as if in a trance, Saya's gaze remained locked on the pile of what used o be Karl. She wondered why she felt guilty, why she should feel a pang of misery that she should no longer see his face. Even in that moment, she found it hard to recall his voice; she knew not why she would miss him.

"Nathan," Came Solomon's voice, a steel edge to his voice that she had rarely heard before, "You knew something about this, didn't you?"

The other blonde raised his cerulean eyes to meet duller navy ones; he was in no disposition to be trifled with.

"Perhaps, but what difference would that have made?" Nathan asked, bringing a hand up to his chin so that he could lean upon it, face suddenly taking quite the weary tone to it.

Solomon seemed completely disheveled, so remorseful that Saya felt the urge to comfort him, commiserate with him even, though she held both her tongue and actions as the two continued to prolong their temperate dispute.

"You could have told me, and I could have warned him. At any rate, how could you have gone through with killing him, our own brother?"

"And what good would _that_ have done? I wouldn't oppose my queen. Could you perform such an act that could be called traitorous in her opinion?" Nathan countered, sighing softly, "We took blood from Saya this morning, she only told me to keep it safe. I was clueless when it came to her plans, though when she told me to put it in a glass and delude it only slightly with wine, I began to grow suspicious. The final step was when she told me to put it on the table for dinner, and I worried for my brothers. She so meticulously planned this."

Subconsciously, Saya gripped her left shoulder. It had had a faint, aching twinge when she had woken up, and she had simply concluded that she had slept on it wrong. Though she had felt minor shame before over the fact that her sister had implied she had helped with Karl's demise, it was nothing compared to what she felt now. She had been the one who had killed him, really. Diva had only extracted the blood.

True, her sister had been the one to plan it all, but Saya herself had been the device and means Diva had used to kill one of her own. Now, she was aghast with herself. She was a danger to all of Diva's chevaliers, a tool that could be used at any given time to kill them.

So deep was her thought that she had failed to notice that the two flaxen had ceased speaking, their gazes resting solely on her. In addition, she had failed to keep her visage blank, fret and trepidation mirroring on her face.

"…The poor dear, she seems to be taking this worse than us. Had you grown attached to him, perhaps?" Nathan asked, a trace of a smile threatening to glimmer through. Solomon's features were astringent, though his eyes mirrored sadness and vague apprehension.

"No, I hadn't grown attached to him. I just…feel uneasy about what my blood can do. I hadn't thought about it before, I hadn't considered that even though I vowed not to use it against my sister and you all, it was still potently noxious. I hadn't thought that Diva would even venture to consider killing one of her own. I fear for what she may do now." Saya avowed restlessly.

"Well, now. Aren't you such a little darling? A queen fretting over her intrinsic enemy sister's chevaliers, perhaps even more than her own, a thing I don't believe I've heard of ever before." Nathan stated, returning to his usual amused method.

Saya shifted with discomfort, though was eased slightly at Solomon's encouraging gaze. She wondered how the blonde could even muster such elevating eyes after witnessing the death of a comrade, brother as he had called him. Either the chevalier lacked perception of emotion or else he could bravely conceal any emotion he had for the sake of another. She prayed it would be the latter.

"Come now, Nathan, you shouldn't mock her. I'm sure she is in no mood for such things, no different from my own self." Solomon stated in a tone almost dry and bitter, though kept his face as pleasing to the eye as ever.

"On the contrary, I find it to be quite the compliment, for a queen to humble herself so is indeed a treasure to look most ardently after. Not aberrant, nor voracious, she is something worthy to serve beneath. I find myself envying Haji, and yet…she is ordained already to be my bride, so I have nothing to wish for." Nathan paused for a moment to smile before continuing, rising as he did so, "Seeing as how you are in no _mood_ for my antics, I'll leave, because it is as if you are in no mood for me."

Solomon watched Nathan's retreating figure, his face returning to a ghost of a crestfallen state. Slowly, he glanced at the pile of cracked chevalier remnants out of the corner of his eyes, which dulled a fraction or two more than before. Saya, wrapped up in thoughts of the death of Karl, failed to completely register the chevalier referring to her as his bride, though later, no doubt, she would confront someone about the matter. She did, however, recall that she had not seen Haji at all and grew worried for him, a question waiting patiently on her tongue.

"I looked after him like a brother. Even though he though he was alone, I did my best to keep him safe. But…it made no difference, it seems he flocked after you like his last relic of hope, the last tangible thing for him to grasp and hold on tightly for life itself. His death was like a twisted game for paradox, because even though you became his life, you would forever be his death." Solomon stated, abruptly, catching the queen off guard.

"I'm sorry, Solomon, that he died. I wish I could have stopped her from using my blood." Saya stated, "I feel like it's my fault."

He looked at her, now, tilting his head slightly to the side, "Thank you, for saying that. But, please, don't put yourself to blame. There's no reason for you to feel like that. And you must not think badly of your sister. Karl was constantly going beyond boundaries." His last words savored of rancor, though he was beginning to conceal any repulsive feelings he might have retained. His life required the ability to move quickly on, even if it meant leaving someone behind.

"Solomon," She began, feeling unpleasantly culpable for changing the subject while he was still in the midst of lamenting, "Do you know where Haji is? I haven't seen him today, and with Diva killing her own chevalier…" Saya's voice trailed off.

"No, I'm sorry to say I don't. Though her reasons for…killing Karl seems to have been in the best interest of you, so I can only assume that she wouldn't kill someone who holds importance to you." He replied, casting a weak smile.

Slowly, she nodded, though none too convinced at all.

"Saya, why don't you go to your room? After the…events that have happened, I'm sure you have restless tension. I'll see that Haji returns safely back to you." He stated, holding a hand out and down towards her so that he could politely help her rise. In return, she placed her hand in his and stood.

Solomon walked a few steps with Saya before allowing her to continue alone; watching her leave, continuing to look on even after the door had been shut behind her. There was something in his stare, envy, perhaps, that she should worry over her chevalier so, and a gloom of sorts over the reasoning of Karl's demise. Because maybe, just maybe, he was lonely too…

* * *

**A/N:** Yay, it's finally up. Sorry to any of my readers who liked Karl, but even though I've warped this story, I at least want to follow some details. Now, to move on to the Red Shield and the Schiff. Irene, Lulu, Karman and Moses, ah, the things I need to evaluate with them. _Someone_ has to test Saya's blood. D: …Or maybe science will decipher that detail. THANK YOU FOR READING SO FAR. :p Huzzah. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven;**

_Determination_

prog·ress: _n._

1. Movement, as toward a goal; advance.

2. Development or growth.

3. Steady improvement, as of a society or civilization: a believer in human progress.

4. A ceremonial journey made by a sovereign through his or her realm.

* * *

He looked past the glass and at the figure lying in the bed, weak, vulnerable- dying, even.

It was only by continuously grafting various skins, specific blood transfusions, and the knowledge that Julia had come to sustain that the Schiff member Irene was capable of surviving to date. Though, this would only be a temporary substitution for what her body so desperately needed.

Blood, the blood of the queen that her origin had come from, and sadly, the blood they had come to gain had not been correct. They had received Saya's blood, but before they had given it to the dying human-made chiropteran, they had tested the compatibility of the blood types by drawing an additional, restrained sample from Irene.

The test turned out to have been made with valid caution, for when they mixed a drop of Saya's blood with Irene's, the latter's blood seemed perfectly fine, only to rapidly crystallize. All in all, it was a discouraging result, for the young blonde woman would no doubt have little time left.

He laid a clenched fist against the transom, leaning against it slightly, furrowing his brow and closing his eyes with frustration.

"Kai," A voice, female, called out to him. Opening one eye, the ginger-haired young man shifted his head around only slightly to see who it was.

"Mao, what do you want?" He asked, unsettled and beginning to feel the vague approach of ire within his mind as he glanced at Irene for a last time before straightening himself and looking directly at the approaching girl.

"…You sure seem devastated over what's been happening." She commented, pausing to look through the glass window herself, right eyebrow raising naught but a fraction. "And you also seem quite interested in her state of health." She added, though in a rather unpleasant tone, as she motioned slightly towards Irene. After all, he gave implications that he was indeed worried for her. And the fact that Mao herself liked him- and perhaps with this new variable entering the equation- everything made her feel wary.

"Yeah, it's been hard on me. It's still difficult for me to grasp that Saya left the Red Shield, me…and….Riku..." Kai replied dryly, though trailed off after mentioning his now deceased brother. It brought back the bitter memories of viewing his death, deprived of the proper amount of blood because Diva had drained him of it completely. From that fact alone he was thoroughly confused as to how Saya could have possibly wished to join her sister, because after all, hadn't she known what the divergent queen had done?

Mao noted him drifting into a sea of his thoughts, and she felt herself growing insecure. She always felt rather insecure when it came to the women- or woman in this case- in Kai's life. Hastily, she waved a hand back and forth before his glassy eyes, causing him to blink repeatedly.

"You're zoning out." She pointed out the obvious, continuing, "But, whatever, if you don't want to talk to me about it then I could care less. Besides, I'm here mainly because that David guy requested that I get you."

Kai narrowed his eyes, "Why?"

In response, she shrugged nonchalantly, "Something about getting Saya back. Honestly, I don't even know why you people care about her so much, she's such a brat. If she's just going to be with her sister, than shouldn't you people just find another way to kill that Diva girl?"

However, Kai heard none of this, for he was already walking away and had tuned her out, leaving her. For a moment, Mao simply stood there, and then her visage was embellished with an irate look. She had come so far to find him, and it still seemed like she hadn't even managed to scrape by to be placed at the bottom of the list of people important to him. Furious, she turned her gaze to where Irene lay, though her vehemence became temperate when she saw the girl's face. Something about it just made it so Mao couldn't wish ill for her.

"We have another chance?"

David looked to the younger man, whose eyes were lit up with an anxious hope and hungry for action. "Yes, but this could be our last opportunity for retrieving Saya, well, at least peacefully."

Kai blinked, not following as to why they couldn't bring her back manically, "Why is this chance the last for us?"

"Because, if we go on the offense for a second time, no doubt Saya and the others will cease to come out in the open so frequently, we're lucky as is that they're not overly cautious. But this will make them take the matter of Saya's return more seriously." Lewis cut in, biting down on his custard-filled doughnut.

David nodded in placid agreement, clearly, the twosome had repeatedly gone over this, and this second offensive movement was something the two were taking with the utmost care.

"This occasion will also be important in a different way. Not only is our objective to regain Saya, but also to use her as a bait of sorts. This will all depend on whether or not the bond that she and her sister have formed, if anything. We are assuming that the two must have at least some sort of positive connection, and so we'll hope that we can draw Diva out." He remarked, weathered face firm and confident.

Kai, however, failed to see whatever brilliance they had established with it. He wasn't as affirmed with the idea that the younger queen herself would venture out just for the sake of her sister, one who had once opposed her, as were the others.

But, there was no room for doubt, and so he thought optimistically over the matter, for the sake of Saya, and even perhaps Irene, for her life was to be determined by the outcome of the actions they were about to perform.

* * *

She could feel it; her body was reaching beyond what she now liked to consider her former 'human' limits. Like Haji, her sister, and the other chiropterans, she was beginning to be capable of much more condensed movements.

However, with this newly forming ability, Saya found James' attacks becoming increasingly more profound, and she found that she could barely manage to keep up with his brisk actions.

With every slash of the sword, she was met with a steady block from any one of her opponent's appendages, consisting of resilient iron-like flesh. His near luminescent, none-too human eyes could almost be assumed to be mocking her, for though she made progress, it was slow.

If she was lucky, Saya could manage to get in a jab, and push him a few feet away, though it was always returned with James storming back and pressing her roughly against a wall, with a force she would not have connected with a simply joust.

And it was one of these times, when she found herself pressed uncomfortably up against a stone wall, air supply minimal- if anything, when out of the corner of her eyes she noted a mere glimmer of movement. Tossing her head to the side, crimson eyes widened a few fractions at the sight of her chevalier.

"Ha-" Saya had began to call out to him, but no sooner had she opened her mouth she was pressed against she wall harder, the stones even beginning to line with cracks behind her.

"Never turn your back on the enemy." James avowed, voice deep like thunder and just as ominous and daunting.

Forced to turn her gaze from Haji back to her adversary, she contemplated on what to do to quickly end this, or at least get far enough away from him so that she could go to see her once absent chevalier.

She was not able to get a scratch on him, but surely there had to be some weak point. After all, even armor could not protect a soldier completely; some Akeley's Heel had to become apparent at some time or another. Though she was dealing with flesh and not armor, it was close enough for her.

Perhaps the wrist? She made a swift cut, and yet nothing came from it, save for James beginning to run, still pressing her against the wall and now dragging the queen along it.

Fighting off a cry of pain, she managed to thrust her sword into her text target, which was just to the left of the shoulder blade closest to her, near the nape of the neck. This outcome was a far more positive one. James ceased to run, dropping her from both the mildest pain and shock.

With a sort of self-satisfaction, Saya turned and ran to Haji, every so often becoming blurred with a speed comparable to something that was as fast as light itself, likening to her sister and the others.

"Haji," She greeted, keeping grasp of her sword and quickly sparing a glance what seemed to be a slightly flustered James. "Where have you been these past few days?"

He seemed uneasy, averting his gaze from hers. Infuriated with the grief of worry that she had felt when he had abruptly gone missing, she narrowed her eyes with fierce determination and grasped his left arm tightly, stating, "You lie. Tell me the truth, Haji. I've been worried."

A jaw was clenched, and an audible grimace could be noticed. She peered curiously at him, and immediately released her grip, making it so that her hand hovered above his arm. Quickly, before he could protest, she gently shoved up the sleeve. Silence overtook her.

The skin itself was fine and in tact, but beneath the epidermis…it seemed like some deeper bruises and cuts had been inflicted there, and were taking a great period of time to heal, contrary to the usual healing aptitude of the queen and chevaliers alike.

"Tell me now, Haji, please." Saya requested, though with a voice in such a one that it was practically a firm and absolute command, eyes fluctuating back to their normal chocolate color.

"As you wish," There was foreign reluctance in his voice as he spoke. "…I was ordered not to speak of it. In order to take you blood sample- knowing I would never allow them to harm you, seeing as how Diva's methods are none-too gentle- Amshel detained me."

"I can scarcely believe that by being simply _detained_ you could come back such serious wounds. Do you take me to be a fool?" She retorted solemnly, not at all too pleased with what she was discovering, if this was in fact true. But what other truth could there be? And how could she be shocked at finding this? This savored bitterly of what her sister would, and could, no doubt, do at any moment she'd fancy.

"No, of course not." Haji responded automatically, "But you shouldn't look into it, as it's not safe. It is not something that should hold great importance, at any rate; I'll heal within a week's time. For your best interest, you shouldn't go to your sister with any intentions less than ideal."

A small smile could have been seen, playing on her visage as she looked up towards him.

"Of course I don't plan on blaming my sister in such a way. Things wouldn't go over well, you're right." Saya stated placidly, shifting the sword to her right hand, she glanced over to where she had been previously been training. Frustration and annoyance ebbed away at her being, James was no longer there.

"Haji, you should go and rest." She avowed, and when he seemed ready to protested, she began her next words partially quoting him, "_For your best interest_, your body needs to recover. To think of it as a battle vantage, you'd be of little use as injured as you are."

A part of her wondered if that last statement had been close to lapsing into cruelty.

But, that part was weak now, that part's voice was tiny compared to a louder voice. And that part was being eaten, slowly but surely, by a new and far more deadly half.

She turned away from her chevalier and walked away, not looking back at him when he called her…so that he might not see the irises of her eyes glimmering with a foreboding ruby coloration. She wished to find her sister's chevaliers, one in specific. A queen's true nature spreading like wild-fire within her body, all because of oppressing variables. Some things were acceptable, while others were far from tolerable.

* * *

**A/N:** Forgive me, will you, for not updating as quickly as possible? I'm a horrible author, really, I am. I don't find time to update any of my stories; this one is really the only one I make progress with.

But you must understand. I have a minor excuse, at least for this past week. I either had laryngitis or strep throat, so I've kept locked up inside my home, no access to this laptop. So very sad.

Now I'm considering taking on the responsibility of beta-ing others' stories. But maybe that's not the best idea, seeing as how this and a few other stories of my own should be higher up on my list, yeah? Alright, well, hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. Saya's feeling a little threatened, and in our next chapter I shall have a lovely little confrontation between queen and chevalier, a little party, perhaps a reunion…

And oh, what's this? I've yet to involve Solomon's confession and the release of Haji true powers? Mwahaha! So many things to work with. :3 The joy of it all.


	12. Chapter 12a

**Chapter Twelve;**

_Reunification_

re·u·ni·fy: _tr. v._

re·u·ni·fied, re·u·ni·fy·ing, re·u·ni·fies

To cause (a group, party, state, or sect) to become unified again after being divided.

re·uni·fi·cation. _n._

Part One—

* * *

It was glorious, with the sun shining down, soaking into the skin, and the lightest of zephyrs dancing intangibly about. No doubt, birds would have been singing, had the air not already been coated with the sickly sweet notes of the younger queen, whether out of reverence or fear that they stayed silent, it could not have been known. All there existed in that moment was the voice of Diva.

The day could have been all the more wondrous, had the worry of perfidy not crept up in the mind of James. He sat restlessly, dissatisfied and disinterested with near everything around him, save for when he stared both intently and relentlessly at his mother and queen.

And it was within such a staring epoch that Diva paused within her song to allow her gaze to merge with her lesser, cold love and vague amusement flitting behind the glassy walls of her optics as a smile tugged mockingly at the corner of pale lips.

"James," She crooned, hatred seeming like it could never find way to her voice, "Shouldn't you be playing with big sister? She wanted to…oh, what was it?"

"Train, dear," Nathan stated, a knowing smirk embellishing his visage as he propped his elbow up upon the clear table the chevaliers sat at, leaning his chin into his closed fist as he did so.

Appreciative of the help…and yet, not truly thankful for anything or anyone at all, the smile upon her lips broadened before she continued, "Yes, big sister wanted to train. Why aren't you with her?"

A shift of the eyes to the left, a shift to the right, he looked off in different directions for no reason in particular, only to use that subtle method to quickly think over his plans, his strategy. For, the man could not carry on without regimented and precise resolutions. Nor could he live without his queen.

And it was the matter of speaking to his queen that drove him to the point of frantic trepidation. Every creature had some sort of fear sparked, if only just a twinge, when locked in the darkness without sight, sounds, hearing, smell, or any natural sense. When in the case of articulating over the matter of when he thought a plan was sheer lunacy, he found nothing to trouble him.

But when he had to articulate over the matter of when he thought a plan was sheer lunacy when his _mother_ had concluded to it, and she herself thought it to be a justified and perfectly fine stratagem, it was then when James tarried in the darkened depths of worry's pit.

"You're staring, James. At first it is nice; to have attention, but now it is simply annoying." Diva avowed blithely, cocking her head to the side and allowing a small yawn to exit her mouth, not bothering to cover to up with her hand.

He dipped his head, slightly, in reverence, holding no inkling that he had returned his gaze to rest back upon her, and finding it exceedingly irksome to know that he was not bringing her happiness; instead, he was then an _annoyance_.

"I don't think it's wise to let her progress." James stated bluntly, forcing himself to not zone out once more and looking from the faces of all others in the room with him.

"You're being a little quirky, don't you think, James?" Nathan asked, smirk increasing sevenfold as he leaned towards the darker chevalier, "Just blurting out random nonsense like that."

He directed what was meant to be a cutting look to the flaxen, but instead fluctuated to one that mirrored a brief moment of disquiet, but very soon he returned to his usual solid and emboldened stature and mind-set, any of the pangs of fret he had felt naught but moments ago dissipating like the wind.

"I am not being _quirky_," James almost sneered at the word, "I have strong worry for my beloved mother. Isn't it the job of a chevalier to act when he believes his queen is in danger, of any sort?"

Shrugging, Nathan fashioned an amused smirk to display upon his visage, stating, "Dearest James, you are quite right. However…that can only be justified when the reasoning of said chevalier is _valid_."

In frustration, sheer ire that Nathan always seemed capable of drawing from him, he furrowed his brow. "My reason does not need to be justified, it is already valid. And you know it to be true enough. Saya will forever to be a threat to Diva, so long as her blood flows through her living body."

"Solomon, I don't believe we should bother with such a preposterous prospect." Nathan stated good-naturedly, ignoring James' previous comment and managing to say his own opinion.

"I agree whole-heartedly. I don't see any problem with Saya's presence here at all." Solomon avowed, in favor of his fellow blonde's way of thinking over the topic filled with Saya's troubling trifles- or lack thereof.

"You aren't even putting sensible thought into this matter; you're simply brushing it aside as though it were just a simple, pesky gnat. And you, Solomon, have no place in this matter. When it comes to this, you have no common sense in this whatsoever, you are a fool, and the worst kind." James stated brusquely.

Nathan's lips twitched downward. "You're calling our bride a gnat. Well, then, I do hate to wonder over this, or think ill of such a beloved man so close to my heart but….what does that make you? Clearly you're her lesser, insignificant when it comes right down to it. You insult yourself, and your own dear _mother_." He stated, shifting his gaze briefly to the young melodic queen.

At this, James took great displeasure, quickly beginning to lose his cool, something rarely done. "I am not insulting Diva when I state that Saya is a nothing but a threat, a wall in our plan, and a-"

"Gnat. You are calling her a gnat." Solomon interrupted, Nathan smirked, and Amshel- who had been wisely staying out of the whole matter- now allowed a sigh to leave his lips, the closest one to irritation that could have ever been noted from him.

To Amshel, the whole idea was foolhardy. Having the opposing queen within their very walls and refusing to kill her was a dupe's choice, and the one he believed to been most open to her joining was, sadly enough to think, his own brother Solomon, someone who he had believed to be the most sane and loyal of all. However, it was impossible to confront the serene young man while his queen was agreeing with the whole plot. But, each day it grew on him- like some vile mold- the very idea that the two should live in harmony. And he found himself adapting to her presence, as atrocious as the very prospect was.

Nothing was as it had been in times before; the battle was now a challenge of a different kind.

"You mean to say you'd like to kill her?" The question was asked, sing-song voice almost laughing while incognito as words. Heads swiveled round to look at Diva, who was twiddling with a few locks of her flowing hair, occasionally eyeing James and the rest.

"…Yes, I believe it to be the best, in your own interest." James replied, wavering only slightly in the beginning.

Sighing, a laugh quickly ensued, almost manic. Though, it quickly stopped, visage somber as she closed her eyes. Seconds passed, and then minutes, before she once more opened eyes that were illuminated to a brilliant glowing sapphire, lips twisted in a Cheshire grin.

"You wouldn't dare," She sang merrily. "It would be such a shame for such a usually good child like you to have to end up like poor, pathetic Karl. I don't think you should kill big sister."

Upon no answer from James, or the rest- not as though she particularly waited terribly long for a response- Diva continued, "You make it sound like my dear sister will get stronger then me….and I don't like it. At _all_. You're making it sound like you think she'll try to kill me," A short pause for yet another manic fit of pure laughter, "Should she try, _you _would not lay a finger on her. I will be the one to have the fun of killing her, when I finally grow weary of this all. Or if she makes me upset."

"Diva, come now. For you to wish to rid yourself of such an ally is, forgive me, quite unwise." Solomon began, inclining his head vaguely, "Think of all she could help you accomplish, all the things that we the chevaliers could not do. She trains for you, to become your perfect weapon. Destiny has designed her in two ways, to either be your idyllic enemy…or your faultless companion. The latter seems so much more pleasurable, to have another underneath you, to ensure a positive reign."

Silence held control of their tongues for a moment, and the smile Diva had attained, wicked and plotting, turned back to a contented one smaller one.

"Solomon, you're such a silly chevalier." She stated mildly, and then turned to Amshel, directing, "Take me to my room so I can get ready for that dreadful party Nathan has planned."

The elder chevalier nodded solemnly, glancing at Solomon from the corners of his eyes, before rising and offering his arm to his queen. But, the said young sovereign failed to do so, though she might have other times before. Instead, she skipped at an ease pace ahead, pausing only a few times to look back at him with an impatient gleam in her face.

And, within that instant, a seed of foreign apprehension sowed itself in his heart- whatever left of it, that is- soon to grow into a plant of ire and actions of anxiety. And to be more specific, a shadowed rose called 'Saya', with the thorns fashioned out of every word she spoke and every day she lived.

"You should be more wary of your mother, James. She shall not hesitate to use the same methods with you as she did with our fallen brother, Karl," Nathan stated amusedly, then fixated his gaze upon something and let a soft, merry laugh to ease its way from his throat, adding, "Though she might not have the chance. It seems our bride is coming this way, and it feels as though there is a lethal determination in her very aura. I know _I've_ done nothing to her, and no doubt Solomon is clean of any wrongs. So, then, pray tell, what you have done to upset _this_ queen?"

Though the words were directed towards him, James paid little heed. His thoughts were directed primarily upon the girl who had merged into their lives, clandestinely acting as a bomb of sorts to destroy their meticulous plans.

"Where is Amshel?" Saya inquired, for she had concluded that she would not bother with James, rather, she would go straight to the man who appeared to have most control in the place—save for Diva, of course.

"Oh, my dear, you've just missed him! He left with Diva just moments ago! You can blame it on paradox, really, if you'd like…but, might I ask, just why you are on tenterhooks to see the man?" Nathan asked, leaning forward towards her, though only slightly.

At first, there was ire gleaming in her eyes. But far too quickly, it was only replaced with frustrated conciliation, for what had she been planning to do, at any rate? Go and demand atonement from such a creature, while in the presence of his own queen? At any rate, if she had brought herself to fluctuate from defense to offense, this being the mildest sense possible, then her sister might be the one she did battle with instead, deciding she was indeed a threat to them after all. And that, Saya would forever try to avert, because that would only give others, like James and Amshel, the pleasure of knowing they could attack her with noxious motives.

Thrusting her sword into the ground, she leaned heavily upon it, looking down at the earth with an unseeing gaze, her mind interweaving with a multitude of confused thoughts. Her position was a precarious one. Though it was in her instincts to fight these creatures, to force them into subordination and show the due respect. To fight her sister as the natural enemy, born rival, and stake the claim of being the one true queen.

But such innate things could be easily persuaded to quiet and hush, laying low in the depths of her mind, only when her eyes flashed the crimson restraining bereavement and sorrows did the natural feelings grow the most strong and vainly attempt to force themselves out.

"Well, look at that. You're probably absolutely famished, to be acting this way! Poor thing." Nathan avowed, and when she lifted her gaze, she thought she could almost make out a simper. Though, as soon as she blinked, it was nothing but a benign smile. "I'm terribly sorry, but we cannot give you blood to drink, this moment. We're about to attend a celebration for Diva's upcoming performance, and there you'll be able to eat a little something."

"Cele...bration…?" Saya echoed, jadedly. At this, Nathan clucked his tongue with disapproval, displeased with her seemingly melancholy nature.

"Do not be so dismal. I fear you and your sudden moods are ingravescent. Surely, then, this revelry will uplift your spirits! By spending more time with your beloved sister, via this moderate and _ever_ so humble fête, perhaps your disposition of your new domicile will increase in a positive aspect." He stated, with the mildest of concealed hope in his light and near carefree voice.

Suddenly, for some inexplicable reason, she felt the gentle—and yet ever cruel—sensation of lassitude swathe her entire being. For, really, this entire matter was beginning to seem like everything was over her head, too great a challenge for her. But, wasn't that what made her all the more apt to rise to this occasion? This occasion of life, and a new world—of sorts—she had found herself in?

Had she been alone with one she believed more trustworthy, like Haji, and not with two whose allegiance seemed to sway as much as a leaf in the wind, she might have allowed her vaguely confused and helpless sentiments to expel from her being.

However, she was not, and so she would not.

"My precious bride, why don't you go prepare yourself for the grand event? We shall be leaving in little less than two hours, and oh, what a multitude of things of must do to enhance your beauty!—not as though it does not already exceed all others, just as your sister's does." Nathan suggested, sneaking in a compliment in a beguiling way.

She felt at ease, oddly comforted by the accolade—for it was indeed something she was far from used to—until she hit a mental wall. Brown eyes narrowed abruptly, and anxiety once more caused her shoulders to tense, muscles beginning to form uncomfortable knots from the repeated tension.

"Nathan, what do you mean by that? You've called me your…bride before, and I wish to know what that is." Saya inquired, fashioning a voice out of a collective tone, rather than the apprehensive one she truly desired to use.

The man looked to Solomon, unbothered amusement in his eyes, a lighthearted smile on his lips and unspoken words being stated between the two, before returning his gaze back to her with a blink.

"Oh, pish posh, that's something so irrelevant at the moment. Now, you really must get ready, this very moment! Or, I fear, you won't be ready in time." Nathan deadpanned, tossing a dismissively merry hand into the air.

Solomon was already beside her, plucking up her sword from the ground and offering his arm to her, taking up the role of escorting her back to her quarters. Hesitantly, she followed suit, and took his arm.

"And at any rate, you're not only _my_ bride, unfortunately." Nathan mumbled incoherently, watching the two leave, a smile stretching his lips. This was something she did not catch, but still, her muscles remained tense, forcing a contented smile when Solomon cast her an analytical glance.

* * *

**A/N:** WELL. Didn't _this_ take me some time? And it wasn't even that great (it was mediocre, at best...you know you all agree with me ..)!

Now, I only made this chapter be divided into parts because if I were to do it the usual way, then it would have taken me a bit longer, and I wanted you peoples out there to have something to (finally) read.

A quick note, someone stated that I made an error in their eye colors. Well, dear, I'm sorry, but I probably won't change their images, or the way I see them. I've only watched the anime version, and that's how they were constructed, so, that's what I'm going by.

And another quick note (not to try and make them coincide, and say that I favor some reviewers over others, because I'm not—a reviewer is a reviewer is a reviewer, after all—just letting you know), thank you to those who say I am portraying their personalities well. :)

Until next time (which should, hopefully, be soon)!


	13. Chapter 12b

**Chapter Twelve;**

_Reunification_

re·u·ni·fy: _tr. v._

re·u·ni·fied, re·u·ni·fy·ing, re·u·ni·fies

To cause (a group, party, state, or sect) to become unified again after being divided.

re·uni·fi·cation. _n._

Part Two—

* * *

"Don't our queens look _ravishing_?" Nathan asked aloud, though more as a statement than a question.

A collective, corresponding nod of heads was the answer to the blonde's complimentary comment.

To be sure, it was safe to say that she grew more and more accustomed to this frivolous, gaudy life. Attending such formal events, residing in exquisite domiciles, being treated like the intrinsic queen she was…it was all a luxury she had once deprived herself of.

In a few hours, the event to venerate the performance of Diva—in other words, their premature celebration of their conquest, and all others' subjugation—would unfold.

She wore garb only fitting for the occasion. Her dress was black and strapless, coming to a stop at the floor—the clothe which clung to her torso was tight and formfitting, while all beneath the waist was long and flowing, and consisted of two materials, the first layer being a veil-like substance, while the second layer was silky smooth and retained a pallid white chrysanthemum print. Her shoes were obsidian as well, as high as an inch and a half, with a strap that intertwined itself around her ankles and almost to her calves. To top it off, black glossy gloves fit her hands, running up to her elbows, and a blue rose adorned her hair, tresses that hung to her shoulders, curled with marveled perfection.

But of course, her sister's attire was more than similar. It was identical, save for the fact that the color was reversed. Where there was white, her dress had black, and where there was black, her dress had white. Within her long coiled tresses, the petals of the azure flower were already shriveling up on.

It could be noted that all had blue roses to embellish their garments. The suit-clad chevaliers had them pinned to their ever proper jackets, while both sisters had them in their manes. True, the fact that Karl had once had been such a major factor in the mystery that had first swathed the flora, that part was now irrelevant. The assemblage wore them only because Diva loved them most amongst others, and so it had been chosen. The flower among flowers.

But, this would make one deviate from the current even at hand.

"Big sister, do you look forward to this?" Diva inquired after her, as Solomon opened the door for both, and the pair slid into the car.

Silence, for a moment, but it was fashioned out of sincere pondering. "I…suppose so, after all, it is to commemorate you. It would be an insult if I wasn't anxiously awaiting the event."

A grin ignited, wild and free, upon the younger's face. "You _suppose_ correctly, dear sister. And of course I'd be insulted if you weren't, I enjoy parties. So many…lovely people." Saya assumed that 'lovely' was not placed there to point out how she enjoyed their company. "I hate waiting like this. I want to show off in front of all of those humans. I absolutely _love_ the feeling I get from them. All that silly envy and awe, it makes them all the more…" She trailed off, wondering what word to use.

"Palatable?" The elder queen offered, little discomfort nowadays over the thought that humans were a nothing but a nutritional accessory in a chiropteran's healthy diet.

The grin on the other's face was sustained, the long sleek black automobile tugged itself forward, complexly designed engine within tinkering and plunking softly about, creating a lulling hum.

"Really, the words you've learned are so _odd_. It's probably because of that yucky 'family' you had before, and awful…awful Joel. I hated him, for leaving me in that cold tower, teaching you and raising you as a simple human. Thinking you were more special than I, even when I sang so prettily." Diva hummed, and when she continued, her voice was singsong, "But oh! Look who turned out better. He thought he could make a chiropteran fight for humans."

The lack of a worded response from the recipient of the terminology triggered the young queen's smile to falter, lips forcing themselves into a practically awkward grim line—after all, one associated her face with a smile, and now her visage was stale with something foreign.

"You aren't happy. Why aren't you happy, Saya? You're face is always so bitter, so scorning, like you think it's out of the good of _your_ heart that you're here now on my side. But you have to learn, and learn quickly, dear sister. You need to make it clearer that you understand, because I'm getting tired of playing this _stupid_ game with you." Her beautiful brow now knitted itself, nose following suit by crinkling.

Saya blinked once, and then for good measure, a few more times. This was truly the first time they had entered a quarrel since her allegiance to her sister queen's side.

In the front seat, there was notable motion, and the elongated, thin window that resided between the two compartments was rolled down, Nathan's head poking through it to look at them. His face was disgruntled, though his eyes were errantly alight.

"I do not want to sing tonight anymore." Diva avowed, arms folded delicately over her chest, relentlessly staring at her sister with eyes that seemed to cut through the other's very being.

"Come now, _Diva_," Nathan crooned, a vague lop-sided half smirk, half grin began to form on his mouth. He turned to Saya, and as if apologetic, he proceeded to speak, "Speak sense to her, will you, dear Queen? She is just a victim of tumbling emotions; she doesn't really mean what she says."

Eyes flashed. "Of course I mean what I say, Nathan. Why do I have to sing to these _humans_? They don't deserve to hear me. They're only good for food. I am bored and hungry, Nathan, I am tired of this. Why can't we just do the grand, final performance you promised me?" She was contradicting what she herself had just uttered moments before the untimely, small bicker.

"Dear, we had it all planned, I am sincere when I say that—but, the circumstances…changed." The blonde looked ruefully at Saya, who stilled managed to not unknot her tongue, so that words might be expelled from it. "And you must sing tonight, so that more and more people will hear, and more love you with every fiber in their being. A love of their death. Now, please, you will be fed promptly, as soon as the opportunity to rises."

"Perhaps we should explain to Saya, so that she has empathy, and treats the matter more …delicately, as she should." Came the thoughtful statement of their current driver, one named Solomon.

"Explain to me, what…?" Said queen inquired, relieved to have her attention diverted from her sister, whom still stared unmercifully at her.

Glad that she had finally found words, debarring the fact that the first to introduce themselves to the matter had been ignorant, Nathan leaned against the sturdy divider with his elbow, chin resting upon his clenched fist.

"She is deeply troubled with longing…for children. She knows her time is nearing, when she'll enter her lengthy slumber. Thus, this mood has been created, Saya." Nathan stated, quite blunt and to the point, more than ever before.

"You aren't happy, big sister. You aren't making more chevaliers, and so I don't have any choices. I can only choose from one boring one that was made for me, one who seems to have other thoughts of someone else. I want children of my own, you ruin it for me." Diva stated wretchedly, a lack of luster in her voice.

Everything about the younger queen that had first screamed rage and contempt was now listened to with a different perspective. Each and every detail, however small, seemed to whisper _I want something of my own. Why won't you share?_

And Saya understood. Diva wanted her a family she could decree to be her very own, because after all, _she_ had already had two—three now, if you counted the sudden constant non-threatening presence of her sister.

Diva had been enclosed a majority of her life, kept locked away. And even when she was set free, she was not completely and incontrovertibly _free_. It was immature, but this was the only way she knew. Her actions were childish, and yet meant things deeper than the ocean itself. She would have to mold her reactions accordingly, taking all in her hands like glass that could shatter in her hands at any time, cutting into her with deadly intentions.

Playing the much needed role of a consoling elder sister.

"She cannot bear a child with anyone other than a chevalier of the opposite queen; the genetics have been vindictive that way, as it is with every generation of queens." Nathan stated, with a look crossing in his eye as his input was registered in her mind.

The words were helpful in the prospect to grow her consideration towards her sister, and though it slightly did, it wasn't needed. For already Saya had wrapped her arms around Diva, and the latter—though stiff with irritation at first—eventually conceded and allowed herself to be brought into a hug.

While the younger tucked her head neatly betwixt her sister's neck and shoulder, the elder brushed locks out of the other's face, all the while keeping an arm wrapped around her in an embrace.

"Diva, will you sing tonight, for me? I'll make a promise with you. If you perform this recital, then I will make another chevalier, and maybe even a few more." Saya stated, the smallest of smiles granting itself leeway to adorn her visage.

There was a shift from the one being spoken to. Her orifice was fashioned into a sophomoric pout, though her azure eyes gave away selfish delight.

"Alright, big sister. But I have to choose him, and you can't argue with me. I'll even attend more of these yucky parties—even if I'm not in a good mood to." Diva avowed, looking at Nathan out of the corners of her eyes, noticing his obvious pleasure in her abruptly renewed agreeable nature.

"How utterly precious. Thank you, Saya, for being so indulgent," Solomon commemorated. "Now Diva, aren't you jovial that you sister had decided to join you? She is a help to you in more ways than one."

There wasn't an answer, and Nathan merely sighed with a smile, already turned around and beginning to roll the window back up. "Really, Solomon, leave the girls _be_. Let's leave such precarious quandaries to be dealt with amongst themselves, now."

The last thing they made out before the window was completely closed was the practically monotone words of a young queen saying, "You should grow your hair out, long and pretty, like mine."

And the optimistically agreeable response of the other, newly acclaimed sovereign, "Mhmm."

* * *

The noise around was loud and almost unbearable, and it made her wonder how she could have ever stood it. How she could have ever thought she was one of _them_. Those guttural humans, with loud movements to top it all off, and ugly intentions.

Her arm was looped into Hagi's, and she felt secure beside him. The people were a sea for her to get lost in, to be suffocated in, and he likened to an ever reliable raft, for her to at least float to a safe place. A new safe place, now known as her sister.

"Hagi, I'd like for you to keep an eye out, just in case…" She trailed off, raising brown eyes to her comrade, brown eyes that were met by a stoic obsidian gaze.

"Kai and the Red Shield make their presence known?" He asked, filling in for the words she hadn't been able to force herself to speak.

Slowly, but surely, she nodded. Her grip on his arm tightened considerably, but he didn't seem to mind. He didn't seem to notice, other then his left brow being arched naught but a minute fraction, only venturing to momentarily assume her self-inflicted turmoil.

"You don't think they'll come, do you? Wouldn't they know that we positioned some sort of wall to carry out a barrage if they happened to show their faces? They wouldn't be able to make it through them." The queen deviated, gaze shifting about the room, focusing closer on one certain group of people with her inhuman optics, before moving onto others that caught her attention.

"Saya," His voice was thoughtful, ringing with the most concern he could have, and lower than a murmur—meant only for her to catch, "Who, if I may ask, are you trying to convince?"

Piqued—though in the way she had felt in the times when Kai, or anyone else, had caught her in her lowest, thirsting moments—she kept a steady gaze upon her chevalier, lips parting themselves in preparation to speak.

"Now, now! What is the need to whisper, when among friends as you are? Who here would dare be a threat enough that you would need to lower your voice for sake of sacrosanct privacy?" Solomon had glided over to them in a graceful lope, pleasing smile embellishing his charming features.

The corner of her lips turned upwards slightly, so that an asymmetrical beam of her own greeted her sister's subordinate.

"Where is Diva?" Saya inquired, eyes surfing the crowd that swathed them, moving in motions much like that of an ocean. She felt just as compressed and asphyxiated.

"Ah, your dear sister is with Nathan, she wished to observe the people here…" The flaxen trailed off, and his relentless smile fluctuated to an almost contrite one, implied meaning incognito within his proper words. The queen amongst the trio inclined her head ever so slightly, to reflect that she understood, respectfully averting from the topic.

From no further response, their golden comrade took the slightest step forward. "Pardon me for asking, but, would you care to dace, Saya?" His hand was ultimately offered up to her, lighthearted question ringing in the bland air.

It was only then that she realized there was a band playing, and others were dancing around them. Hesitantly, she nodded, supposing no harm could come from it. With a parting, full contented smile towards Hagi—who had, rather rigidly, released her…or rather, allowed her to release _him_—she followed the other.

* * *

"How long…do you think that they can hold them off?" His voice was rough with the raspy after affects of running, voice on the brink of breaking—Kai was sure it sounded worse over the static waves of the radio.

He released the small black button on the side of it, waited for a response…and then it came. The muffled, slightly high-pitched chirp of an incoming beep alerted him before the voice of David responded.

"…Not for very long. Those replicas of that Schiff, Moses, are enhanced tenfold. Perhaps the training and special weaponry we equipped them with will aid them, but we can't be sure. Lulu should be behind you in moments, but it depends…on their situation…" Kai felt the stings of relief that thus far all was going well.

He pressed the button again. "Good, I'm at the southern segment of the building. Do you think she'll be able to find me?"

"Kai…any one of the Schiff could find you even in the most disastrous of blizzards." Was David's ever calm and collected response. The young man receiving the words going help but let the smallest of smile leak onto his face.

He hadn't felt this much excitement—or rather, this much pure adrenaline rushing through his veins—since Saya had still been with them, and had still prided herself with the thoughts of opposing her sister.

"…Kai! We're being—_crackle_—sidetracked. We've—_crackle crackle_—stopped by a chevalier." The abrupt message was barely audible to his ears, the crackling and popping intruding David's voice over the air waves not helping in the slightest.

He blinked repeatedly, then knotted his brow and allowed a swear word or two to slip from his lips in frustration.

The young man pressed the button on his propagation tool. "So what do you expect me to do?" Kai waited patiently, or at least as patiently as he could, for a minute or so for the response. When none came, his already quickened pulse increased tenfold. "David? David, are you there?"

"We seem to have stumbled across a problem. Please carry on; the Schiff will divide up to aid you, David, and the others. Keep your mind on our objective." The voice over the radio was not that of the alleged blonde haired 'leader' of the bunch. It was Lewis'.

"Yeah…yeah, alright. Whatever." Kai stated, grudgingly hooking the device back onto the loop of his pants. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms, moving forwards—and it was in that bitter state that he came across that which he sought.

Or, at least someone close to that which he sought.

He found himself bumping into the back of a lanky figure, the aftershock of the action sending him stumbling a few paces backwards in the bustling room, while the other individual remained in place, almost as though they hadn't even felt it. But, the person turned his head, obsidian tresses swaying before his charcoal eyes, before sliding aside.

Recognition flickered, barely, in the previously mentioned optics. And while his visage mirrored no shock, _Kai's_ did.

"Haji…!" The young man stated, voice trailing off, silence picking up with unspoken waves of sudden anticipation and pleasure. The chevalier in question made no bother to respond, but at least he did not make an attempt to leave. He merely stared at his former ally.

"Kai, Saya does not wish for you to be here." Hagi avowed, with a subtle note ringing that he should have already known this fact like the obvious.

He regained an erect, confident posture, letting his eyes slip amongst the figures in the crowd around him, searching for the queen. "She only _thinks_ that. I know her…I know that she really can't be satisfied like this, she can't be happy in such a position. She doesn't even know how much we need her? How could she even grasp it, when we never directly made it known to her how important she was to us all?"

Hagi didn't agree…nor did he _dis_agree. He did naught but turned his head to another direction, though when his gaze rested upon something; it was quite pointed and purposeful. The stoic man continued to stare at whatever the object was for a period of a thirty more seconds or so, before turning on his heel and striding gracefully away.

It took three minutes, and not a second longer, for Kai to finally catch on. Anxiously, his burgundy eyes sought out the same place where Hagi had previously been so intrigued with. His stomach flipped, his throat closed, even though he felt like calling out her name—Saya danced with a blonde-haired chevalier he had seen before, barely ten feet from him.

* * *

**A/N:** Awwww….you all hate me now, don't you? Weeeep. Heyyy, at least I finally updated with the substantial amount of eight pages. :p

But yes, sorry, yeah. I've been busy with life; you know, oral reports, tests, literature stories, all that good, _good_ stuff. Blech. ..

Read on, and enjoy yourselves. :)


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen;**

_Dissatisfaction_

dis·sat·is·fac·tion: _n._

**1. **The condition or feeling of being displeased or unsatisfied; discontent.

**2. **A cause of discontent.

* * *

The hands remained tight at his sides, though his fingers twitched and fidgeted for action, for relief of this frustrating standstill to really anything at all. And his appendages seemed to have developed minds of their owns, or perhaps he was just going crazy from the adrenaline pounding through his veins—either way was a completely acceptable answer, he was just so _happy_ to see her face—but it seemed he had to pin his own body down in that spot, to keep him from shoving through the crowd and to the person he had searched the ends of the earth for.

And she didn't even know it. A smile rang silently on her face, but it resonated in the very marrow of his bones, to see such an expression on her face, while for the longest time when he imagined her, he could only picture a face riddled with sorrow and angst.

But now, he'd have something better to think of, a simple thing that made the choppy seas melt into a serene pool of contentment. In fact, he wouldn't need to fashion anything together in his imagination again to vainly try and find a temporary replacement for her, she would be with them once again.

Nothing could go wrong, nothing else seemed to matter.

"Kai, have you made any progress?" The static ridden voice of Lewis broke through his reverie, demanding his attention. However, he felt a lack of the ability to properly mobilize himself.

"Kai, you need to hurry. If you haven't found Saya yet, then the situation in becoming strained. Lulu is coming to help you—she can track you by your scent, so at this point continue to search for her." Now it was David who spoke, an undertone of urgency he was always too proud to truly let show.

The young man receiving these words quickly groped for his communication device, pressing the button when the tool practically rammed his lips from excitement.

"David, Lewis, I can't believe it…but I found her, I'm in the room with her, I can _see_ her. I think we'll be able to get Saya back this time." Kai spoke into it hastily, looking down at the walky-talky as though he could show them by sheer willpower, words pouring out like liquid down a waterfall. But then, oddly enough, he felt his blood run cold.

Something inside told him not to, that he wouldn't like the outcome if he looked back up, but he did at any rate. And he found that those internal whispers had been correct.

The duo were still dancing, but each time the occasion aroused, Solomon would stare at him with cold eyes, a veiled look in them that practically consumed him with dread. Now, the chevalier craned his neck to whisper into his queen's ear, who in turn appeared to go stiff in his arms.

Already the sirens were screaming in him, and he was bolting through what thin masses separated him from the two, dropping his only tool to correspond with his allies onto the hard floor and not bothering to even glance back at it. His gaze rested fervently and firmly upon Saya, who had now peeked past Solomon and met his gaze.

When this happened, she recoiled as though an adder had bitten through to some vital organ, not releasing its noxious fangs from her body.

Now Solomon was walking swiftly through the crowds, his adoptive queen in tow, and Kai could do naught but follow. Sadly, he lacked the grace that the blonde—and Saya, now, even—sustained as they wove through the people. Kai did not weave; he pushed, shoved, tripped over people's conveniently placed feet, and was already breathing heavily when he tore himself away from the said mass. He didn't even try to imagine how bad it would have been, if Solomon had used his true abilities to leave. With regular bystanders as obstacles, he had had to act like their mortal selves.

Down a practically empty vestibule, the two he tracked were hastily walking. They hung to a specific side, where the shadows cast by the already dimming light from the windows cloaked them, moving like figures consisting of nothing but darkness themselves.

He trailed after them loyally, mind not thinking through all the cons—he could only see the pros of this organized chaos.

* * *

"I should have detected him earlier. He was just there, so palpable, and noticed nothing." He stated pessimistically, a steel edge directed towards himself.

She looked at him—or rather, the back of him, for that was all she could see as they moved—compassion in her soul and a soothing remedy coating her tongue. "It's not a thing to dramatize, Solomon. Please, Kai was not as evident as you make him out to be."

"He should have been to me. What sort of chevalier can't tell when his queen's enemy is in the same room, close enough to get rid of, and close enough to threaten safety?" He avowed, stern. But she knew he meant the austerity not for her benefit, but for his own.

"We were dancing, Solomon. Enjoying ourselves. Even if we are chiropterans, we are not a perfect breed, our facets have flaws. Don't pound yourself down for one simple inaccuracy, it's not befitting. I won't have it." Saya stated, her severe attitude forged only out of kindness. He really was one for reparation, by the extreme means.

Discreetly, he swiveled his head just enough to glance at her, smiling softly. _He_ knew, deep inside his heart of hearts, each and every one of his flaws. Every painstaking thing he'd done, not even for himself. But he also knew she didn't know his biggest sin, the thing that bloodied his hands most—his intimate association with her, whether unrequited or not.

And he'd probably never be able to tell her, not as he caught the scent her own solitary chevalier.

* * *

Kai was running without itinerary, following only what he believed to be the correct direction. It must have been the luck of kind providence that when he rounded a corner, he heard familiar voices talking.

It was indeed Saya and Solomon, but the third person was…he couldn't quite tell. As he slowed his pace to something like a crawl, and hugged the wall with his body, he squinted to make out the third figure.

When the spark of recognition filled his brain with a fire of thoughts, he felt himself dipped in anxiety. It was Haji, and that meant that now he would have not only one, but two chevaliers to deal with if he was ever to hope that he and Red Shield could successfully get Saya back.

"Kai, _-crackle crackle crackle crackle-_, and _–crackle crackle crackle-_ it's a miracle." David's broken voice sounded off in the near silence, making Kai want to yell out in frustration. Not only had the message not even come through, but all three of them had realized he was there.

Solomon faced him; his jaw set has his hands malformed to inhuman blades, a glint in them that read '_Your death is inevitable.' _But he ended up being able to do nothing more, for it was then that he was struck by no one other than Haji.

The force of it all was so great, he was thrown across the room and into the wall, the partition cracking and chipping, fissures lining both large and small. And the attacked chevalier lay there in a shocked daze—shocked just as the rest of them were.

It could be noted that Saya gasped in deeply, accusing eyes not knowing where to rest. But that was lost when the others started to pour in. The 'others' consisting of Lewis, David, the Schiff—excluding Lulu—and various anonymous members participating in the organization.

His legs were moving before he knew it, and an ecstatic smile was beginning to break free upon his visage. But the faces on the others, even though not directed towards him, let him know it was far too soon to celebrate.

"Come on, Saya, we're here for you. You can get away from this now." Kai stated, closer to her now then he had been in what felt like decades, close enough to grab her and never let go. And he gave way to his longing for this lost member in his now nearly extinct family, for he began to reach out for her.

But time must have slowed for her, for she evaded his touch easily. And from there, she moved with a speed he never recalled her having. There was a blur of her, now, and she began to go to Solomon—however, she would not have her way, for Haji dutifully intercepted her, his own skills at least seeming to hold better than her own for the time being.

"Saya…" He began, but her attention was elsewhere. She was glaring at Haji with keen disdain, eyes mirroring every unspoken emotion that was tumbling within her. And it stung him, vaguely, that he should just be treated as some random person in the crowd, holding no meaning to her.

"Let's move. I've been told we've spotted movement of another of Diva's chevaliers. We need to leave now." David confirmed, behind him now, voice sounding almost wrong without the noxious sound of crackles and pops accompanying it over waves of sound.

His eyes were met by the sudden image of Lulu jumping down before him, a riled look in her childish eyes. "Kai, you're very confusing to track! I missed all the excitement because I was thrown off by this…!" The youngest Schiff member threw down the communication device, poking him in the chest.

An apology of sorts was fashioned in his mind, but it found no path to his lips. He was already looking back at Saya, to make sure she hadn't gone—no, she was with them still, being led to a helicopter by her chevalier, with whom she acted with an air of dissatisfaction.

Kai forced a smile, ruffling Lulu's hair and provoking an indignant 'Hey!' from her before walking past the young manmade creature. Saya would see how much they needed her. She would realize that she truly belonged with them.

She was saved from the callous chiropteran that dared to claim the title as her 'sister'.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, so, um, don't kill me? I know you have good reasons to.

It took me forever to get this out (I was on two week vacation in North Carolina—yes, I know, your wait was much longer than two weeks). This chapter is quite pathetic. And probably far more.

A thing with the name of 'Haji'. I shall officially use a 'j' and not a 'g' from now on. x)

Sorry about those awful errors.

AND NO. THIS IS NOT INCEST. Kai just feels very, very, very strong brotherly affections for her. After all, she's all he's got. After Riku and his father metting their demises. Mao doesn't count.

…At least, not yet. ;D

As you can tell, I really like hiding words with the _crackle_ sound on radios. :p

I'll try to find a good muse to inspire me, so that I can get the next chapter out as quickly as possible! :)


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen;**

_Wrath_

wrath: _n. _1. Forceful, often vindictive anger.

2. a. Punishment or vengeance as a manifestation of anger.

b. Divine retribution for sin

* * *

The game of life is ever vigilant to stay the same. Life, in itself, never changes, never falters, never grows weary of what it has been since the very beginning of time. The rules are the same, morals and ethics just as high and important as the pedigree in your blood. It is the constant pool of water in paradise; replenishing and rejuvenating all that coexist from within it.

But the pawns do change, day to day, lifespan to lifespan. They change from having the naivety of a child one moment to a polluted mindset of an aged sinner in another. The pieces of game alter colors and visages, do's and don'ts. And in the end, they become that which they swore they never would.

Because, you see, that is the one ironic twist the game of life constantly has looming over humanity's meager heads. The sport of destiny can make us different people, whether we do so willingly or begrudgingly.

Whether Saya had changed out of pleasure or fear, though, no one could decipher.

She sat as still as a plank upon her bed, pallid silk sheets and comforters lying wasted and useless on the floor below her. The queen stared at nothing, while staring at everything at the same time. She cared not for anything tangible that came from the organization she once fought along side of. Her thoughts were on the specters she so desperately sought, the images of her sister and new family.

The mammoth-sized window—taking up a good portion of her eastern wall—glinted with the sharp fluorescent, unnatural lights. On the other side, her captors watched, waited, and discussed what was to be done with the boiling queen, invisible to her for the glass was one-way.

The aforementioned lights emphasized the purple, unhealthy looking bags and circles beneath her filmy, comatose eyes. Her left canine tooth was digging carelessly into her lower lip; her hands writhed together in motions that were distorted to the naked eye. Happiness was not in the heavy air that engulfed her being.

Pulling her mind deep within herself, Saya began to both look and feel like nothing more than a mere shell, a carcass ready to be tossed out to the jungle buzzards. Really, in all reality, this was a new level of hell for her. Something about her new situation riled a viper's wrath within her, and had she been a slithering reptile, she might be coiled into herself with rage, seething and waiting to strike. She felt out of place, a brilliant red rose amongst white daisies, brazen thorns daring anyone or anything to touch it, while the daisies swayed humbly in the softest of winds with their pure and innocent white petals.

She caught the sound of the door opening behind her, but Saya didn't bother to offer a glance. The pungent smell of Kai reached her nose; he was carrying food with him. And he was alone.

Though she knew that on the other side of the wide, gargantuan window David and his Red Shield guards were watching with vigilance and only the smallest amounts of trepidation, it both amused and frustrated her that they should be so trusting. To allow Kai to come in alone.

Did they really believe her affections for her former foster family had not swiveled from their righteous path, and opted for the dark and appealing diamond facets of her sister? Could they really pretend that she could be lenient and benign, when they were after her sister, and she after them?

Their silly little games of make believe were beguiling her to vengefully strike out, but some how, in the sick and twisted, masochistic portion of her psyche, she was held down by some God-given chain of self-restraint.

"Saya," Kai began, to the right of her now, "You need to eat. It's not healthy for you to be like this. You're going to get dehydrated and malnourished." His close proximity was not at all comforting, as he probably meant it to be. It was awkward for a queen who had recently drunken blood of his race.

Instead of responding, her head was turned farther away from him, body language rigid and unwelcoming.

"You can't keep silent forever, Saya. I know you, and you have to see that what we're doing is in your best interest. Why can't you just understand that?" Kai asked, setting the tray down. He moved a few steps closer and, leaning over, began to grab her arm.

As soon as his digits made contact with her appendage, Saya's pupils contracted, and moved as a blur up and away from the bed and her former sibling. Now, she knew, his smell would be on her, however faint. Already that small spot reeked of his mortality, and the warm red liquid inside that danced in painted movements behind the darkened lids of her eyes.

She heard him exhale with severe frustration, and her irritation and unreasonable antagonism increased exponentially. Why was _he_ annoyed? Neither he—nor the others_—_had a single right to feel as though they were being inconvenienced.

Saya was at the dreadful glass of the window, forced gaze upon her own reflection as her tongue ran over her chapped lips. How much malice could she bottle up within herself before they provoked her with their naïve ignorance?

"How many more lies can you all possibly conjure up?" She inquired, monotone save for the vague flickers of a passionate fire beneath her shell.

Kai was silent for a few seconds before returning a half-hearted rebuttal, thickly coated with weary confusion, "Saya, what are you talking about? We need you here very badly! How can you say all that we're doing is based on nothing but lies?"

Her eyes locked onto his reflection, she sucked on her teeth. "You hypocrite. You contradict all you say and do. Before, you say this is for me, and then you turn with another pitiful face and state that I am needed to be _used_. I am not selfish, Kai, with what I say, but there are some instances where I need to draw a thick line that even you can see. Why should I be the one to throw decades of my life away for something I can't believe in?"

He was floundering, she could tell. Kai was trying to make her sense of it all, but he wasn't adequate enough to do the job at the moment, "Your life is being used for the greater good! You're the savior of mankind. One year of your life is like fifteen years of mine, maybe more!"

"How lovely! You think that because my life is spread on a wider plain than your, that a few mere centennials mean nothing!" Saya cried out with vehemence, and finally it was all bubbling out of proportion.

The chiropteran queen turned to violence, and she struck the one-way mirror with a dynamic blow from her fist. The glass shattered, and as though she were looking through an evaporating cobweb, the pieces shattered and flew outward, and she was suddenly capable of seeing what was on the other side of the wall.

And it was not a pleasant sight.

Shards and glass were everywhere; guards were still in protective positions. The Schiff were poised on the corners of counter and chairs, wild-eyed but unharmed. Mao was beginning to peek beyond Lewis, and David was staring at something on the ground with horror on his expression.

"Julia," David murmured, before leaping up and over to the crouched, tremulous figure of the young physician.

Now, finally, Saya fully took in the damage. Julia had shards of the glass burrowed into her flesh, and pigments were cascaded down her being as though a shooting star had collided with her. From her lesions, blood was beginning to ooze and drip like tears.

For a brief second, she felt the affects of guilt seep into her soul, the beast she had apparently been subsiding taking advantage and clawing her from her deepest core. But then, her pupils dilated as the aroma and sight of it all hit her head. Like a drug addict long past due of another "trip", she felt her mind crash down upon itself.

She wobbled, and arms—Haji's, she barely noted—held her up, both stabilizing and confining her. Her chevalier was assuming the worst, that the blood would have a savage affect on her.

And, perhaps, his assumptions would have become true, but Saya had been deprived of any nutrition for such a lengthy epoch, that she was losing consciousness. The excited affects her body had received were taking their tolls on her.

Before she closed her blackening eyes, she thought she heard something—maybe Kai?—ask, "What are we supposed to do, David? She's becoming as primal as her sister."

Yes, paradox has a way of making one become the thing they swore they never would be.

* * *

**A/N: **Do not kill me. Spare me, for as unworthy as I am, I have recognized my error.

I wrote this in a single SITTING, so it explains the lack of a better plot. But at least I getting this up for you peoples.

This was supposed to be a different chapter, but it ended up being something entirely different, so I just changed the title. (:

I'll update very quickly (I swear), so please continue to read. Pardon any spelling errors, by the by, I wrote in a state of hurry.

PEACE OUT, LOVES.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen;**

_Elucidate_

e·lu·ci·date: To make clear or plain, especially by explanation; clarify.

* * *

Beneath smooth fingertips, a withering flower was stroked. Once feather-soft, creamy pink petals were crackling, curling up and within themselves as they lost their jovial luster for life. To make plain of this moment, an inaudible song was wreaking havoc upon the flora.

Hard eyes, cut like rigid diamonds and just as cold, idly traced over the images before her, behind the lids of her eyes a carnival of light played memories of old and new, the newest being the most displeasing of all the games. What clowns they were, she had always mused to herself, when she had rested her eyes to sleep through hibernation. But now, they were not clowns. They were not playthings. They were not even worth the energy to laugh at and sing merrily as she heard their fading cries of fear and desperation.

To Diva, the Red Shield and all beneath its burning flag were like the dying plant in her tight grasp, she stroked it with such a caress that mocked the very ideal of love.

They could not make her happy, her naïve children, her lovers of empty promises. Speaking of deliverance and gifts, but returning empty handed in the somber rain. Her fortitude in her patient and dissolving sanity was nothing more than a sliver of grass.

Above, the waning moon glimmered its light in grimace. The lunar sphere, she was sure, pitied her and her children. How could it not, when those rebellious humans—those mere _infants_—had treated her in such a way that she felt as though a slap had been brandished upon her cheek?

Clouds rolled to conceal the innocent moon, to veil its eyes from the queen, to keep her sin from reaching the pure heavens above.

"My dearest Diva, come inside, it is about to rain." Solomon called beseechingly. She did not grace him with a response. The flower was dead now, becoming as brittle as glass, beckoning to be shattered. Who was she to deny its last wish?

A pair of practically silent footsteps—but to her, they were as loud as the thunder about to come—resounded as both Solomon and Nathan approached their reigning sovereign. Negligence to Diva's current mood was not an option to any of the chevaliers, her childish tantrums and fits would be intensified in such a disgruntled condition.

"Come now…" Nathan began, opening a gentle hand and bringing it to rest upon her shoulder. His eyes narrowed, jaw tightening as started to retract his hand, for beneath it he had felt the young chiropteran's muscles tense and bunch up, as though ready to spring. It turned out she was, and that her fashionable inferior was far too slow for her rapid grasp. Diva's small hand locking Nathan's own, she began to crush it.

"Do you have my sister yet, Nathan?" She asked, with a voice melodiously flat. "Solomon, I wish to play, and yet I am still alone. Where is big sister? I want to play _now_. Don't you love me? Don't you want me to be happy?"

With crushed bones and the aid of Solomon, Nathan gently pulled his hand from his queen's with the smallest traces of trepidation. Trying to make light of the moment, Nathan—who now methodically rubbed his hands so that his bones would heal in correct alignment—smiled ever so sweetly. "My beloved, we are waiting for Amshel! He is currently visiting that droll, stick-in-the-mud fellow…Van Argiano. He will be here soon enough, and when he is—"

Like the calm before the storm, and the ominous forewarning of danger, Diva had already risen. Her delicate nose brushed against the bridge of Nathan's, effectively cutting him off. With an empty gaze, she remained scarcely an inch from his face. The young queen licked her lips as she began to speak, "Oh, yes, _Amshel_. He is the one we follow. He is the one we love. How could we even _think_ of doing anything without him! I am nothing! My words mean _nothing_!"

"Diva," Solomon avowed soothingly, "Please, do not be so quick to wrath. If it would so please you, I will head out tonight and bring back Saya before the morning."

Diva's eyes of stone were cast on him, now, though she hovered close beside her other flaxen chevalier. "No, you won't. I don't want you to do it alone. I want us all to go on this little field trip. I want to have fun, too."

Both chevaliers' expressions seemed to protest their queen playing a role in the scheme of fetching back the eldest ruler, though only Nathan made his displeasure audible.

"Now, now, now," He began, tilting his head. "You are indeed diving deeply into this stratagem of yours. But, my dear, I wouldn't want you to even bother yourself with this nuisance. That scraggly bunch of raggedy, mopped up artificial chiropterans will be there."

"They are merely dolls. Playthings that have gotten themselves broken…you make it sound like they could hurt me. _That_ hurts me, Nathan. I will not love you anymore if you don't let me get big sister. I will hate you." Diva replied, touching his face, tapping a frigid, pointed fingernail against the side of his gaunt cheek.

With a finger in her hair, wrapping a curling lock around his finger so that it mimicked the silent viper she was, Solomon smiled, breathing in as he agreed. "Never would any nightmare compare to the day you turn your back on us in abhorrence, my Diva."

On Diva's face appeared the smallest of smiles, a copy and only worth a fraction of the real thing, but it was still such a thing and worthy to be called such. "Good. Besides, sister has a promise to keep. I really hope she hasn't gone soft again, like a mushy wad of paper in the rain."

* * *

How could she feel it again? How dare her body _feel_ at all? This overwhelming tsunami of frustration that was pushing into her mouth and down her throat, choking her while trying to cleanse her. She wouldn't be pure again unless she was dead.

Like a patient in an asylum—being unpredictable in her actions and an unknown danger—Haji had his arms tangled around her, locking her firmly against his chest, with the crown of her head right beneath his defined chin.

There was great irritation for the chevalier, but no matter how great her anger, she never seemed to be capable of striking him down. Something was there, deep like the root of a tree, beneath the weathering sands above that screeched and searched to destroy it. And the root was thirsty, she new, for some revival of the former connection that was once shared, the life-continuing relationship that kept them hovering close.

Between the two of them, she knew, there were the few last surviving bonds. In the corner of the room where they sat, while people roamed about and tried to speak with her, she did not feel as though she were alone. Even though she was being held like this against her will, there was still the innate comfort in it all. She hated this sudden close proximity they shared, but still, she needed it. Like a lost kitten drenched from a storm and delusional, she had found her own cardboard box from the chaos. Haji was still her protector, withered and beaten parts of her still knew.

But for how long would she need—or desire—this level of protection?

She looked indifferently at the wall towards the left of her, only to meet Kai's gaze accidentally. His eyes were…different, the look in them was more far-off, like he was looking at a distant place. Or, Saya begrudgingly concluded, a different person. A window to the soul as famed, she could look deep in and see. She didn't need her enhanced vision, with extraordinary details; Kai was laying it all out on the table before her.

What had she done with the Saya he loved? Why was she so cruel, so much like Diva? Now was she an empty tin, knock of her and only here the echoes of what you put in? He might as well have said all those things; at least she wouldn't have had to bear it alone.

It burrowed down and made a hole in her heart, letting even more emotion slide in through the cracking stone that protected her heart.

Leaning sharply into Haji's chest, she deadened herself to face the next challenge that stung her. "I thought chevaliers did what pleased chiropteran queens. Not the enemy of them."

"I did, this should please you. These people have never been the enemy." Haji responded, after a few tragically long minutes. If she could have seen his face, he probably would have been as blank as ever. She needed more than that.

"What should and _does_ please me are two different things." Saya deadpanned, ignoring all others in the room now. What they heard didn't matter, how could it matter? "They are the enemy to what I—no, what _we_ stand for, now. Diva needs me, and you whisk me away, like their plans mean nothing."

"_You_ don't stand for it Saya." He replied callously, trying to make her see the common sense of it all through his own way.

"You don't know what I want. You're not in my head; you don't feel what I feel. How could you understand?" She was beginning to snap, tilting her head back as far as it would go, glaring unusually coldly at the ceiling.

The muscles in Haji's arms grew taught with pressure, but all she felt was the slightest pull in her stomach, where his elbows had rested lightly. "I'm being held to a double-edged sword, two standards to complete that contradict themselves. I wish to serve you, Saya, desperately so, and I am. I am serving underneath one of your first commands, the promise you made me take. To help you end this all."

She was dancing treacherously close to sentiments. Oh, how easily she crumbled! Like some burnt cookie being dunked in sickly sweet, cold milk—crumbling away, still not fit to eat no matter how much of its scorched exterior dissipated.

"There are lives that depend on you, Saya," Kai piped up quietly, sadly.

Her fluttering gazed was lowered heavily upon her formerly close brother. Slowly, decisively, she spoke, "I wasn't the one that put that burden on my back. You all slipped it onto me, covered it in saccharine, and made me think that I had no other choice. That I had to take responsibility."

"That's awfully selfish of you, Saya. You were more than willing in the beginning, when you had some common sense, when you remembered _who it was_ that let Diva out and created all of these 'burdens'," Kai stated blatantly, coming over and crouching in front of her.

"I was unknowingly your _martyr_. A debtor can only do penance for so long before the ones directing their deeds become corrupt and ask of them to do more and more and more. You all treated me as a weapon," Saya deadpanned. "A corporation in the government accidentally releases a bomb that destroys a country's city. Instead of acting appropriately, they target the head of the organization, calling them out. Tormenting them, even though they were only one person out of millions—someone would have released her, eventually."

"So you'll acknowledge the fact Diva's like a bomb," Kai responded smartly, giving a tragically small, crooked grin—trying to be himself around her, like the days before, not so strained.

"As long as you acknowledge the fact you've taken me from the one true happiness I've had in all the years of my life, with my _family_," Saya's eyes sparked, and she jolted forward towards him. "My _sister_." She continued hollowly, overpowering her chevalier. Haji both strained to keep her down and pleaded with himself to let her go as it pleased her, contradicting himself and his iron grip as she tore her arms out to freedom and stole a slender hand out towards the auburn-haired young man before her.

The Schiff were there, suddenly. Dark Moses and steely Karmen gripping onto her arms and pushing her back down, petite Lulu standing in front of Kai—who mere human reactions had finally allowed to him fall back in shock—a naïvely firm look in her glassy eyes.

They'd been watching her, observing her, like some sort of mouse in a maze. As though they had the right. Irrational anger overwhelmed her in hot torrents.

Her actions were so indistinct, as she flung them from her arms, tossing them into the wall across the room. Lulu remained the defiant barrier between the queen and the young man who had triggered her anger. But she was finished, flushed out, quivering like the string of a bow draw too tight for too long. Saya was down on the ground once more, curled vaguely within herself, hair covering her left eye and giving her a forlorn look.

"My…happiness, you took me…from my happiness. You've taken me away," She wept bitterly, though only in her words, she felt she couldn't cry anymore.

Like magnets to their weakness, she was their focal point.

Kai's hand stole out, touching her arm in a comforting way. His skin was too soft, too thin, too easily broken and tainted. It was like she was a white-hot flame being touched by a shred of paper.

"Don't touch me, I might kill you," The monster inside her was thrumming, looking hungrily out of the third eye that had been created in her mental change, staring up at Kai like he was the best walking meal you would ever get.

She gripped Haji's hand and pulled it to her mouth, biting down at the pulse point in the wrist, drawing blood and deeply missing the vibrations of a heart beat. From between a "drink", she glanced up at Haji from the corner of her uncovered eye, "You don't think I deserve happiness."

Had he been any lesser, with a heart made of flowers and sunshine and not a weathered stone, he could have sighed. Could have cried out in exasperation at her folly, her glorious bonny needs for bonds and family and ecstasy. "You didn't deserve death from that snake."

Her grip was iron, now, as though she were trying to sculpt his arm into a new creation. "There was no death there. There was Diva's song, those melodies, constantly. And happiness, by happiness…" Saya bemoaned, pitiful as it was, there was attractiveness to her pain.

Obsidian tresses flowed liquidly, gracefully onto his visage. Haji's lips were hard as he spoke, like two reluctant weapons clashing together in a frenzy of a dance. "There was no happiness there, Saya. You were fooled. When I was taken away to be…"tested", to make sure I was submissive, I heard Amshel talking. He was making plans to kill you."

Saya bit down harder, astonished and disbelieving, though her face kept a firm façade.

"Lies. Diva doesn't want me hurt, she killed Karl for me." Saya managed to push out, evading any of the small doubts that were flocked annoyingly to her weak thoughts.

"It wasn't of Diva's will. He was planning behind her back." Haji continued, blatant as always. That was how he was getting across to her; it seemed to be the only way to get her lately.

But Saya was too lost in the labyrinth of her thoughts, too confused and perplexed. Everything she'd been avoiding, erasing, and covering up with the grime of lives was popping back up in flamboyant neon lights. When she blinked, images and words, faces and aspirations she hadn't considered in so long played.

She was on a carnival ride of two opposing sides—right and wrong, the line between them had grown so, so very fuzzy—and no matter how much she wanted to get off the fast-spinning ride, there was no way off, no exit.

She had to see where it stopped, now, for good—it would break down, soon, after all.

* * *

**A/N:** Hopefully this chapter has pleased you.

I didn't get as much in as I wanted, but this should be enough for the time being.

Err….nothing much else to say, read and review, please.

I'm going to honestly try to update a lot more often. (:


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen;**

_Arrears_

ar·rears: _pl. n._

1. An unpaid, overdue debt or an unfulfilled obligation.

2. The state of being behind in fulfilling obligations.

* * *

The beeping machine hummed, purring deeply, breathing for her. The cracks had grown far more pronounced, especially on her abdomen, legs, and hands. Three figures looming over cast shadows on her paper-frail form.

"Oh no, we've had to increase her blood intake. She's getting double than the amount before," Petite Lulu, innocent large eyes glassy with trepidation, framed by disheveled tresses.

"With that doctor held up with her own injuries, Irene's left under inexperienced care. Why did they have to go and capture that damn Saya and bring her?" Karmen spat heatedly, glaring beneath his spectacles. "I knew it; we should have never joined the Red Sheild. They're bringing nothing but misfortune!"

He would have said more, could have, if Moses hadn't nudged him with his elbow, forcefully but not inflicting any pain.

"Karmen," The dark-haired Schiff rebuked, "It isn't the Red Shield that bring forth our troubles. They're suffering just as much as we are. It's Corpse Corps. that are the really harbingers of evil."

"Tch," Karmen pulled himself out of Moses' reach, glare turning a fraction softer when he took a peek down at Irene. She was their sacrificial lamb many a time, so it seemed. Her golden mane was matted with her own sweat, body clammy and withering from the inside out.

Lulu stroked the immobile blonde's face, childish affection running thick in her actions. As each second passed, her eyes grew more and more glassy, and a thin film of salty tears began to pool up in the lids of her eyes.

Such an emotional moment wasn't something any of the remaining two were used to. Moses touched her arm in his awkward way to comfort the youth's rolling crocodile tears.

The flower lay between them all, petals cracking up—shriveling, breaking, dying—previously sturdy stem become dry and gray. Their primary mission in life was to save her; the next was to help out the Red Sheild. It was selfish of them, they couldn't deny, but it was a two-way street. Both factions had benefits they needed to gain from this alliance.

Karmen could secretly admit to himself that he was almost glad the silent, mournful moment was cut short. Even if it was ended by quite the ominous, foreboding rumble.

* * *

Saya was jolted into complete awareness, the sound of some form of explosion sending her into a state of alertness, pupils contracted immensely at the sudden amount of light she was receiving from widened eyes.

Above her, Haji stood like some ancient protector, eyes flickering around. She could tell his senses were expanding around him as he intently listened, smelled, and watched for any signs of the newfound danger. His head was tilted faintly to the side, and he glanced for but a moment back at his queen as she rose up to her feet.

"Haji," She began, but couldn't find time to say anymore words. Red Shield soldiers rushed through the vestibule parallel to them, heavy boots making loud clunking noises as their neat rows passed by. Soon Kai appeared, though instead of following them, he entered the room.

"Hey, Haji, we need you to come with us. David said there's been a breach in the building. We think it may be a rogue chiropteran, or maybe another contingent of those Schiff copies—we need your help to make sure whatever it is doesn't do any harm." Kai stated, looking backwards towards the hallways—where echoes of combat boots still resonated—and then once more back to the chevalier.

Brooding eyes of the aforementioned servant look to his mistress, her own eyes vats of vehemence. If the eye really was the door to the soul, then one could look deep down into Saya and see raw wounds uncovered again.

Possessively, like some toddler about to lose their favorite toy, she latched her arms around one of Haji's. It was something that Diva might very well do, habits brushing off on the elder. The sisters were both sharing and teaching new facets to each others' personas, Saya fiddled with newfound selfishness and Diva flexed impatience and serious tenacity.

Sins of a sisterhood, broken petals of a flower, shattered glory, but envied and lusted after all the same.

"Please, don't go anywhere, Haji," Saya requested, though something in her body language and clutch whispered a command. As a tingle went down her spine, igniting her muscles and sinews and bones, she moved closer. It was as though she were using Haji as some sort of barrier from reality, a cocoon to crawl into and hide. She spoke, softer now, dazed and desiring, "…She's coming this way, now, anyways. I can feel her getting closer."

If she had been any other, a mutt of a chiropteran, Kai would have been disgusted. He would have been revolted to see this change, this sudden keen awareness of some primal animal, how she was progressing in a way that was beautifully tragic. She was so in tune with her sister, how long ago had it been that she might have also been the same with them…? He could tell she was advancing in skill once more, to that place in a black and white memory, where she tore across the land with confused passion and misdirected wrath.

"You need to wake up, Saya. It's like you're under her mind control song…thing, or whatever!" Kai rebuked, taking a pleading, yet aggressive step towards the young woman—once a sister, now changing her face to a stranger—someone who stared at him with foreign familiarity.

Her eyes narrowed a fraction at his offensive words. In all reality, they really contained little malice, but to her suddenly fervent psyche it was more than enough to be upset about. Another rumble, this time it was close enough that a cloud of dust floated in, like some demonic wraith bringing foreboding warnings.

Then, suddenly, the eastern wall of the room crumbled with finality. Chunks of the splintered barrier flew across the room, tossing up even more of a veiling filth in the air. A fist sized piece flew towards Saya, but was stopped by Haji's hand, and effectively shattered. Kai, on the other hand, had to dodge three projectiles that flew his way.

A hum was rising up from the smoggy confusion. Though, there was no reason to be perplexed when a figure became more and more apparent. She slithered out from concealment—her movements were most likely meant to be like that of a ballerinas, swift and liquid dancing, but the end product was more like that of some cobra twisting and turning, flickering its tongue at its prey.

Diva's eyes were icy blue, a cold fire in them almost completely smothered out. She was already caressing—or rather, petting—the side of Saya's face before the dust had fully cleared. Somewhere across the room, Kai was coughing, gagging a bit on the dirty particles.

Haji, she could feel, was stiff with reluctance at the younger queen's sudden presence.

"Big sister, I've found you. Next time, let's not play hide-and-seek. Tag is a much better game," Diva crooned, still swaying haphazardly a bit from side to side, hair brushing against her sister's chevalier.

Nathan stood like some half-hearted protector at her right, only giving a fraction of serious attention to the matter because of the lack of any real danger. His eyes were full of unabashed laughter.

Behind her, she could feel the looming presence of Solomon. He stood close, commitment to their mission radiating from him like glorious sunshine. Even though she didn't turn to see his face, she knew she would see a soft as butterfly kisses smile on his face.

"Diva….you came," Saya commented softly, happily. It felt as though, even in the fumes and destruction that had befallen the room, she'd been swallowed up into the stomach of some jolly beast. She never wanted to cut out and brought to "safety" again, of that she was sure. The feeling was surreal.

It was now that she noticed Diva was clutching onto the collar of some unconscious soldier. He had a few bite marks here and there; like he was some sort of lollipop her sister was just taking little tastes out of now and then before going head-first into her delicious "treat". She must have been preoccupied by the captive for too long, because Diva made an impatient motion, wishing for her attention once again.

"Of course of course, silly sister. Look, I even brought a toy. He was the most stubborn little boy of his…." Diva trailed off, a pride refusing to admit she couldn't pick out the right word, cutely pursing out her lower lip.

"Brigade, I think you mean, my queen," Nathan interjected thoughtfully, casting a one-eyed amused glance their way.

"Yes, yes, that. Well, he looked so nice and well-shaped that I decided he'd be delicious. And he _was_, big sister. He's pretty much gone, now, I just wanted to show you what you'd been missing out on." There was a not so faint underlying edge of steel, like she was meaning to punish Saya for being taken away, like it was her fault. The younger sister was finally beginning to notice something.

"What…is that annoying _hacking_…?" Diva trailed off, the sound getting louder and louder in her ears as she grew more and more aware of it, as well as to the others. Kai was still in the background, sputtering. The younger queen looked deviously at the human young man. She was seeing all his flaws, the imperfections of humanity, all wrapped up into one specimen.

Saya watched her sister debate playfully with herself, and felt a sting of dismay when her suspicious began to arise as to what she could be thinking so intently about. Trying to subtly break Diva's train of thoughts, a messy and speeding locomotive whenever it took to the tracks, she spoke up, "What happened to the rest of the Red Shield? Did you really defeat them all so quickly?"

"Oh, heavens no! We wouldn't waste our time with those ruffians. They want blood and gore, and now isn't the time for that, not when we're coming to elegantly rescue a lost damsel in distress!" Nathan was the one to respond, instead of the malevolent sister.

"There's no need to worry about them, Saya. We've distracted them well enough to give us time to leave," Solomon commented gently, meticulously, as though he were trying to decipher some enigma. As though she were a puzzle he was carefully piecing together.

Dissatisfied and unsettled, she knew the loop she had to slip through was closing around her neck at a quickening pace. Haji could sense the uneasiness in the queen's being, and allowed himself one or two glances at her, clandestinely curious as to what was suddenly bothering her.

Suddenly, far too quickly for the still learning Saya to react to, Diva was skipping around Kai. She tugged lightly at his hair now and then—light and merciful to her, still a stinging sensation to his sensitive scalp.

"What the hell?!" Kai's outburst was loud, a clanging symbol to their bell-like voices. This only earned a child's version of a sadistic smirk to tug menacingly at the corner of Diva's pursed lips.

"Big sister, do you remember your promise to me? The thing you swore, to bring me happiness, to let me have everything you have?" Diva inquired, not even gracing Saya with a glance to give her true attention. She was devoted to this new idea, now, even going so far as to let the practically dead soldier fall from her greedy clutch. She was impatient for an answer, "Well, do you, sister…?"

Hesitant, reluctant, in denial. Words that explained her current psyche.

"Yes, Diva, I do. Why are you bringing that up?" Saya feigned ignorance, asking but not really wanting to hear the answer. There was still a small part in her, no matter how much she wished it to leave, that still was kicking and screaming at the conclusion.

"I've decided who I want. Don't play dumb with me, big sister. I don't feel like sitting here all day to wait for you to stop acting so weird," Diva snapped melodically, a laugh tickling the back of her throat. "Solomon, go make sure the way is clear. I don't want to deal with that over-weight, walking buffet and that stick blondie. They don't have any right to get in my way."

The one in question dipped his head in agreement. Saya could feel his blue-sky gaze on her a few times more before he left, her tongue pressing against her sharp canine teeth at the baffling, temporary distraction.

Talking of Kai like he was some cow to buy and use and needed, it felt…odd? No, painful—it wasn't the sweetest weight resting on her chest, and she could feel Haji's already disappointed expectancy.

"Hey, wait, what're you guys talking about, Saya?" Kai piped up, confused and irritated at the poking and prying fingers of Diva, the beast he hated more than the devil itself. In fact, Diva was the devil to him.

There was no use being vague and indirect with him, Saya knew. Besides, even he didn't deserve to be left in the dark, she owed him that much, if not more for what Diva was requesting.

"Diva wants you in her…family, Kai." She stated bluntly, letting herself lean against Haji a bit more. When she'd chosen Diva over the Red Shield, she'd only affected herself—or so she still believed—but now, she felt as though she were pulling Kai into this.

What had he meant by "wake up" she was fine, she was happy, she was a sister once more.

…Wasn't she?

* * *

**A/N: **You might have noticed how I sort of rushed at the end. Ooops. p:

I'm in a seriously epic writing mood right now so, RIGHT ON. with a "w". :3

Thank you for the reviews, they kept reprimanding me back into writing even when I didn't feel like it. Hopefully that doesn't show through in my writing, and that this chapter was enjoyable to read.

I always mean to answer questions I get, but I keep forgetting. I promise I'll answer most any question you have so go ahead, ASK AWAY.

(And no, I don't do YuYu Hakashu, or however you spell it….or, you know, whatever it's called. Sorry.)

Keep reading, I'm trying to remain as inspired!


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen;**

_Forgetful_

for·get·ful: _adj._

1. Tending or likely to forget.

2. Marked by neglectful or heedless failure to remember.

3. Causing one to be unable to remember.

* * *

Soft, in a far-off epoch, there was a steady thrumming. Like African drums on the soft, rosy fingertips of morning, beating in the distance. It was hungry, wanting, increasing. And it was only when she listened for it carefully that it was noticeable, the sound almost pulsing through her, beating faster, pumping blood through her own veins.

With sudden realization, she knew it was Kai's heart.

As adrenaline began to kick in, responding to the abrupt amount of stress being shoved down his throat, his heart was increasing its beat, preparing the body for a sudden challenge. It was translating the situation into a fight or flight response.

It wasn't far off.

Saya felt a strange pressure on the inside of her chest, one that was slowly but surely beginning to use a crushing force against her. To Diva's request, she couldn't make an opposition to. Not like she should, seeing as how it was the thing her sister wanted to be happy. And yet…

"Saya, you're far too slow!" Diva sang melodiously, fingering her hair. Her eyes held a strange ferocity in them, like some tiger might when they had their prey cornered—but instead of killing them, she was skipping around her prey and subordinates like some mad March hare.

Running her tongue along her teeth, she prayed to remain calm. Her figure was already turned away from the younger, arms crossed, and in the language of bodies this was not the most positive sentence.

"Hey, don't just act like I'm not here. And don't think I'm going to let myself be taken so easily!" Kai piped up, outraged. In a split second, he'd reached into a holster hanging on his belt, and pulled out a hand-held gun. Almost immediately, the air was split into two by Diva's shrill laughter, bouncing around the room and, surely, echoing down the halls.

"You're really a stupid little boy, to think you could get me with those toys. I hope that isn't a gene that passes on…" The blue-eyed queen stated, trailing off to her tumbling thoughts, not paying heed anymore to the alleged "threat".

Clearly insulted, Saya could see a vein starting to protrude a little bit from his temple as he cocked the firearm, shouting, "This gun itself has been altered, so that its chances of killing chiropteran are increased by seventy-five percent. And the bullets also have been updated. With Saya's blood."

Her opinion of him fell drastically. She hadn't wanted to drag him into this, because in her heart of hearts—yes, somehow that had managed to live on, though growing colder without a sun's light to warm it—Saya had unknowingly placed a dividing line in between herself and the old home she'd known. It must have been out of respect, for them caring for her; and in turn she decided to only abandon them and not bring death to their door. It felt flimsy in her mind, even if it was the truth.

But the fact they'd taken her blood and used it for such a weapon, whose purpose seemed to solely have plans for her sister… It was a little more than outrage that warmed the back of her neck.

Hands were suddenly found to be placed around her neck, pushing past her dangling black silk tresses, arms resting there like thick jungle vines, ready to hang her, take her on the one-way road to heaven.

Diva had encircled her arms around her elder sister's shoulders, teasingly fingering her neck, long fingernails pressing into the pliable flesh. It was a loose hug, secretly possessive. The air that emitted from her smiling being was one mixed with different emotions, a surprisingly large vat for one who was so feral.

Had she felt the divulging hints of insecurity and fury rolling from Saya like thunder, ready to collide with it's very self in masochistic frustration?

From behind her, she could hear Haji shift reproachfully, unsettled by the close propinquity. His eyes were no doubt on the hands that pinched jokingly at his queen's décolletage. Hands that could suddenly turn angry and try to snap her spine in two without even thinking about it.

"Big sister is a person easily misguided; I think you need to_ shut up now_," Diva said, practically giggling. Her head was tilted like some watchful vulture, a soft hum coming from tightly sealed, upturned lips. "I'll give you a little gift, something better than that toy you're holding, with pieces of sister in it."

Stepping in on the tension, something rolled in on the waves of the radio, fuzzy with near tangible static. _"Kai—where are you? The Schiff are held up at the front gates, and my men and I are under an attack. Get Saya and leave the premises."_

Expression alert, Kai went to the business of keeping the gun pointed perfectly the younger queen, and fumbling an unsteady hand around back to the communicator. Saya guessed that whatever was assaulting the Red Shield headquarters was probably some ignorant, zombie-like, mutt chiropteran under her sister's control. Diva exhaled in a huff through her nose.

"So rude, learn to pay attention to me," Diva cooed, flicking a wrist and dainty palm towards the young man, as some sort of demanding signal.

Effectively, Nathan came to a skipping halt at Kai's side. He'd moved so smoothly, like a feather on the wind, his shrewd eyes alight with delight over the current predicament. Things were never calm, and he liked it that way.

Reaching a hand out, the radio was crushed, his appendage acting like the jaws of a wolverine, tearing irrationally and gleefully at whatever landed in its grip. Just as slyly, he pinched Kai's left earlobe between his index finger and thumb and dragged his head closer. Saya could tell he wasn't using even one fourth of his strength—so that he wouldn't damage the physical appearance of the mortal his queen was desiring—but she could tell Kai was gritting his teeth, lines appearing to crease between his eyes.

"Your intellect amazes me. To not have enough sense to listen to my beloved Diva, even when she is so generously offering to give you something. She's even taken it upon herself to worry more about Saya than you are. You're a bumbling little fool," Nathan commented in a stately, jolly fashion. He turned a gleaming eye towards the direction of the precious sister. "Solomon, please, don't disgrace our dignity. There's no need to bring out a weapon, it isn't worth our time. Darling little Saya isn't the one at danger the most here, at any rate. Playing favorites, are we? Such a naughty little boy!"

The second blonde chevalier had taken up a position near Saya's side, one of his hands turned into a blade; cold steel glinted in the artificial light. His face was set firmly; she could see he was ready to merge into the position of a knight, heading out to the battlefield for the sake and dignity of the two heads of standing royalty.

"I was trusting that you would take the responsibility of caring for Diva, or at the very least, Haji could cover that area. Besides, while Saya _is_ progressing, she's still the more vulnerable of the two," Solomon commented gently, yet there was assurance.

Saya thought it was a little too much of a romantic idea, that Haji would even consider raising his hand to shield her sister. Was it disheartening, to think that her raven of a chevalier was still so distant, after all this time? It was true that he had some right to be stoic; after all, he'd said that he'd heard Amshel planning to kill her. But at the same time, while she was grateful for his concern, she was feeling unsure about his honesty.

Anger was growing inside her—anger about the fact that he could be lying, and guilty rage at herself for thinking this way—like some drug monster. She didn't have time for this. When they returned, she'd have to speak with Haji.

She'd also…have to be more social with him. While he wasn't a talkative soul, it didn't mean that it was right to treat him like a shadow. Really, was she seeing it now? Had she placed the person in a box—someone that should have been closest to her—forcing him to stay behind?

Fingers tapping impatiently against the hollow of her neck reminded her easily of the matter at hand. She was amazed that Diva had lasted as long as she did. Patience always was an elusive virtue. The elder queen cleared her throat, feeling a little too passive aggressive.

"Kai…this is a good opportunity. You need to think of something, quickly, to ask of Diva," Saya said, her voice sounding like the odd man out. She never seemed to speak much, lately.

She watched him as he went through a range of emotions, sorting things out, and she tried to remain impassive. He had to be smart about this. She hoped he wouldn't thoughtlessly ask for his freedom, because Diva definitely wouldn't give that. It would be equally wasteful to ask for something like her own sovereignty, being released, being told the truth. Because she already was, and she already knew.

If he let his folly win, he'd ask for something useless, and Diva wouldn't give him another chance.

Kai yanked himself upright, though it was more of Nathan's choice to let him go rather than freeing himself by his own strength. A glimmering hint of determination flickered like a maelstrom in his eyes, pupils contracting a bit. His body still pumped up from the rush of things.

"If things have to be this way…then I might as well get something good out of it," He stated firmly. Beside her, Saya could feel Diva adjust expectantly, leaning a little closer to her older counterpart. "I want some of your blood."

A happy little cry came from Diva, and she squirmed like a kitten. Already, she was coming before him, a devious tint taking hold to her smile. "Of course! But first you need to get rid of blood, to make room, silly…!" She hummed. He barely had any time to ward her off. If he had even been thinking of using the gun, it was a pointless thought now. He hadn't even realized Nathan had taken it away until it was too late.

"Not for me!" He managed to cry out, evading her barely. Her lips dripped into a pout, though she still seemed pleased nonetheless.

"How nice, then why do you want it? To keep it always, to treasure it?" Her tone was goading, mocking. She was a cherub that was freefalling down to the depths of hell by her own choosing.

"…For the Red Shield. We need it." He refused to give any more information on it, anyone could tell, but what little insight he had given on it was enough to make Diva explode in laughter.

"Big sister, do you hear? Your so-called "family" wants my blood! I wonder, they're probably ready to hunt you down too! Such pathetic little things, thinking that they have any chance in catching you. But let's play with them, because they've just made it sound so much more fun!" With that, she brought her delicate hands up to her arms as if to embrace herself, only to dig her nails crudely through the skin and down to her elbows. Shyly at first, red began to seep up, before pooling up and rolling down by the wiles of gravity. She coated her hands in the crimson mess, and then began to move about the room, flicking it everywhere.

On the walls, she left bloody, running handprints. She made sure to let a few quarter-sized puddles remain untouched on the floor, even going so far as to coat her lips the cherry liquid and kiss the frame of the door. The whole scene lasted scarcely beyond two minutes, if even that, and she wore a smug and self-satisfied disposition after viewing her work.

"Let the Red Shield toddlers enjoy _this_ treat," Diva stated, mouth in a tug-of-war between a snarl and a manic grin. "They're lucky I enjoyed painting the room such a pretty red so much. I'd do more, but I've already healed, and I wouldn't want to cut myself again; you'd like that too much. Come, Solomon, take me home. I can't wait for sister to play with me."

However, before Diva began to leave, she came to Saya once more and leaned in, whispering something in her ear. To this, the latter felt herself go rigid.

Slowly and calculated, Saya turned her head and nodded with an appeasing, vague smile. "Of course, Diva. That's the only way for your happiness to come around. And I don't want you to be lonely anymore."

Now there was a hearty smile, teeth flashing into sight. "I'm happy to hear that, big sister."

The younger walked by, guided by Solomon, her hand briefly brushing against Saya's own. A wraith's smile clung to her face, but left her eyes when she glanced at Kai—Nathan was detaining him in a tight grip and leading him out, whistling to himself.

She reached for Haji, who instantaneously met her halfway. As they walked out, he seemed to take control, staying closer to her than he'd dared in a while, probably because of the blood that embellished the room. It was as though the very smell of it was an ugly danger to Saya.

But the blood failed to frighten his queen, the one that kept remembering and forgetting parts of her soul in a dreamlike state.

* * *

**A/N: ****I MEANT NATHAN, NOT JAMES.**

I'M SO SORRY. I JUST REALIZED THIS.

I'm so so so so so so SO sorry, in my last chapter, I called Nathan "James" on accident. Oh, what kind of author am I? I fell so awful, oh my GOSH I'm the worst! I don't update quickly, my plots are getting all confused, and now I mix names up?

How can you people stand to read my fanfictions? I'm so sorry. I fixing that, like, today. I feel so embarrassed. DX

Ugh. James isn't even meant to be there. Yet his name haunts me. Ack.

Forgive me and my human errors?

I hope that this chapter flowed a bit more easily than the previous one. I wrote this all in, like, four hours. Yeah, I know. A ridiculously long amount of time, but hopefully I didn't rush anything. I noticed that I, uh, used a lot of animal comparisons. Eh heh heh. What can I say? I get stuck in a lot of literary ruts. :p

I'm going to try to get to AT LEAST chapter twenty before this month is over. Besides, I'm on spring break, so perhaps a muse will visit me and I'll become a whole lot more accomplished than I've been as of late. Much love to you all. :)


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen;**

_Faith_

faith: _n._

1. Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.

2. Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.

3. Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance.

4. Often Faith _Christianity_. The theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will.

5. The body of dogma of a religion.

6. A set of principles or beliefs.

* * *

The small portion of land was like the corner of the world, a hidden niche in the hectic wall that life naturally built up in front of you. When a cool, northern breeze blew down, it ruffled the soft cotton clothe beneath her. In slow, waiting movements, she traced the peach and cream checkered pattern with the tip of her thumb. It was lovely for a late summer day, the occasional cool zephyr the only reminder that the warm paradise seasons were slowly but surely coming to an end.

Above her, in a sturdy and weathered tree, came the melodious chirps of a bird. Popping out of the veiling leaves in a flutter of wings and twigs came a yellow finch, tiny eyes surveying the area. It landed on the ground a few feet away, swiveling its head from side to side, prancing around in a worrisome way.

Silently, a tiny smile crawled onto Saya's features, softening eyes that had once been hard in thought and contemplation. She reached for the sandwich she'd been distastefully picking at and tore away bits of the bread. Cautiously, she tossed the generous pieces towards the flying creature.

The portions of bread landed barely an inch from the bird. Startled at first, it leapt back a good two or three hops, before curiosity set in and it hesitantly moved forward. Minuscule head bent, it jumped around the tidbits of food in a half-circle, bobbing up and down.

Suddenly, though, the wind changed direction. It pushed against her left side and towards the finch. Everything seemed to happen at once. The bird's body arched a bit to the side, and it's wings flapped madly up and down as it chirped–except, the noise wasn't as pretty as it had once been a few moments ago. It was more like a little petrified alarm.

The finch jumped into the air and pumped it's feathered limbs to gain altitude. Quickly, it was abruptly joined by others, small yellow bodies exiting the tree, following after the one that had sensed the danger. The one that had caught her scent.

Saya winced privately, watching them fly hastily away only for a second longer–she didn't need to use her enhanced vision to know that they'd continue flying until she was nowhere near. It must have been the feral bloodlust that lurked deep in her genetic code, the bird's greenleaf instincts warning it of her true nature–albeit less prominent, there was still enough to spread the seed of fear, and let it grow into a thorny black flower.

Gradually, she turned her attention back to the sandwich. It had already been pretty much mutilated before she given parts to the bird, the bread slices thrown askew, various condiments spattering the stark white clothe that had been holding it. And it was unsettling that the ketchup was the only thing that remotely caught her interest.

A rustling of grass and clothes caught her attention, though it was only vague and barely audible. Turning her head, Saya rested an elbow on her knee and a hand on the fabric beneath her as she looked up to meet her new company.

Blank charcoal eyes met her own chocolate set, and she couldn't help but feel relief when she was met with the face of her chevalier.

"Saya," He greeted, standing still and perfectly, dark figure outlined against the baby-blue sky. A cloud rolled over the sun briefly, giving her eyes a short rest from the intense light before moving on once again.

"Good afternoon, Haji," Saya returned, giving him the ever rare smile. There was a pregnant silence as she simply watched him, the troublesome breeze tousling a few of his hanging locks, jostling his textured suit. She was waiting for him to sit down but eventually, she realized he was not about to do this anytime soon. Taking control, Saya patted the open spot next to her. "You can sit down here, if you'd like."

Nodding–a display of polite thankfulness–he lowered himself steadily down, taking the case from his back and setting it down between the two of them with the most gentle of touches. His long legs were bent at ninety degrees, right arm lounging on his kneecaps while the other supported his weight. He kept his body open and facing towards her.

It was a pleasant sort of feeling, just sitting there. No demands to meet, no people to please, no beating heart to silence. It was times like these that Saya treasured the most, because even as she was reunited with her sister, she still craved the placidity everything else seemed to lack.

"Haji, I have a question..." Saya trailed off, barely being able to meet his gaze. She never had been the most socially developed soul when it came to the heart to heart conversations. She guessed her chevalier was at the same disadvantage.

"What is it?" He asked, ready to clear any confusion. The black-haired man had long cared for this wavering blossom, whose color changed near every time he saw her. She was continuously learning, adapting, taking in every last morsel of information–whether it was emotional, mental, or physical. But it always came at such a high price for her.

It wasn't obvious–because of the stone slab that hid away his heart, almost crushing his emotions–but he loathed the very idea of her being upset and befuddled. His fists would always clench at the sorrow on her face, an expression that clung to her like the sticking legs of an octopus. Cutting into her flesh and letting her bleed out every little human thing he'd so proudly watched her mimic.

Saya was a little tongue-tied when it came to voicing her thoughts, and so she pressed her knuckles against her lips. Unexpectedly, from the corner of her eye, a whisper of bright color caught her. Shifting to look at it, she realized it was a feather, one that had probably floated down after the flock had flown away in their tizzy. Plucking it up between two fingers, she let it slide down gracefully to her palm. Its neon sunshine tint contrasted against her fleshy hand, tickling her like some ghost might.

"When you were first...changed, how did you...how did you cope with everything? The new hunger?" She inquired, not bringing her focus away from the feather in her grasp, but all the while listening intently.

She knew the question might sound a little redundant. After all, she'd been a chiropteran far longer than he had, and time and time again she'd had enough experience to learn and change her ways...but there were still those empty holes. Those rising moments after a long sleep, thinking back only into a black void. There were glimmers of times before, but nothing big enough to help her along. Beside her, she could feel him adjust his position a little.

"I did not really have that much of a problem. There were, and still are, times when I find myself craving only blood. But it's all in the head, the state of mind. It's an easy feeling to put aside, but not forever," Haji stated easily, eyes falling to look at the food, something she'd probably disfigured in weak frustration.

Saya nodded, rather aloof, sitting poised and still locked intimately to the soft yellow plume.

"You're probably right," It wasn't the most fantastic of responses, but she was still preoccupied. The answer wasn't really what she'd been looking for, but it wasn't like she was upset or disappointed with him. Saya understood that their circumstances were a bit more different than she had thought.

After all, a queen's anatomy differed from a chevalier's in the long run. While a queen might be stronger, she'd need a greater deal of blood. It wasn't as though Saya could cut out that fact and still expect the same result of health and potency. It was sort of the opposite of alchemy. In order to get the outcome, you had to take something. For everyone else, perhaps, the rules still applied.

She used others as tools to escape alchemy's one, standing law.

Saya watched as the feather was snatched away by the wind, traveling swiftly away from her. All too quickly, it was forced to wander in concealment, entering a thicker part of the forest. It was likely to frighten at least a few more hidden animals, what with the fact that it carried her scent–even as faint as it was–around with it like a curse.

"Thank you, Haji, for not leaving me," She whispered faintly. He was sure to hear, and though he didn't answer, Saya was perfectly content. She'd never been expecting one in the first place.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the duo, as they took the jewel of a chance to relax, sad blue eyes watched them from the distance. Half-way hidden behind the trunk of a tree, pupils were being shifted by faint coils, iris adding and losing girth depending on how he focused.

Even at the great distance, his eyelids opened a fraction farther to widen perspective; the two were as crystal clear and defined as if he were among them.

The hints of an informal, uncharacteristic frown had started to despairingly tug the corner of his lips down. He felt like paper, vainly clinging to his last chain that kept him to earth, shrinking a little as he watched.

"How very masochistic of you, my little brother!" Unprepared for the startling comment, Solomon turned slowly–that is, for a chevalier–to see Nathan. The oddity of a frown was cast aside, and his face slipped into a fleeting smile.

"I haven't the slightest idea of what you mean, Nathan," Solomon dead panned, watching the other blonde carefully. Nathan had crossed his arms, looking quite entertained in his heliotrope garments. A gentle wind played with the deep v-neck opening in the front of the shirt, creeping into the material and making it puff out a bit.

A smirk, one of both amusement and annoyance, caused Nathan's face to glow. "You act as though this is the end of the world. Always exaggerating the smallest situation. There's no need to fuss over our little bride, she doesn't love him in that kind of way. What an autoerotic mommy that would be."

The smile faltered slightly, taken aback at the way his companion had simply brought out the obvious.

"Besides, it's not like she going have a child with him. It takes a different sort of man to do that, you should know," Already, Nathan could barely contain his laughter. The sudden idea of having this "child" sparked some strange mirth to pour relentlessly out of him.

It was hard to tell whether Nathan truly meant to be cruel, or if the stings of malice that jabbed at Solomon's dignity were only the accidental result of his dangerous, mulling thoughts.

"I think you should run along back home to Diva. James won't be able to entertain her for very long. He never was very good with those things, poor dear," Nathan stated with a sigh, tossing a hand into the air with near exasperated finality. "I've got to go and fetch the lovely Saya, now. It seems as though Juliet is being fought over by Romeo and Paris, so that's a juicy piece of information. It makes it all worthwhile to have come out here."

Solomon nodded, though was in no hurry to leave. With nothing more to say, Nathan pranced away, the only thing left was remnants of his twinkling laugh. Glancing in Saya's direction once more, he leaned against the tree, lifting a torn look up to the clear heavens.

This stare down with destiny lasted only a moment though, because his thoughts rolled back to the strict duties calling for him. It wouldn't be a pleasant thing to see Diva fall into a tantrum, something she hadn't truly done since her sister's arrival.

Reluctantly, Solomon headed for his queen and mother, though with thoughts on a woman in the opposite direction.

* * *

Haji blinked hard for a moment, tilting his head a bit to listen, before finally rising. Liquid, like an upside waterfall.

Though she hadn't been quite sure why he'd done so, she knew why when Nathan appeared. In the back of her mind, as a note not quite important at the time, she wondered why she still couldn't detect him as quickly as Haji had. It was faintly disheartening.

"My new queen, Saya, Diva simply _cannot_ wait any longer! She's terrifically excited for you to complete your end of the promise. She wants you to come to her this instant," The foxy blonde said, with glee thick in his voice.

For a moment, she was thoughtful, tinkering around the concept Diva wanted her to grasp. The concept Diva wanted her to make a reality. Without losing another second, Saya got to her feet.

"Alright, then. I'll come back later to clean up my mess here. Thank you for coming to get me," Saya stated, feeling a little too lighthearted. It was safe to say that, strangely enough, she'd been suffering from happiness more than sadness lately.

It would be today that her mood would change back to a depressing gray again, no doubt.

"No need to thank me, my dear, it's always a pleasure to be of service. And don't worry about this; I'll have someone else take care of it. Darling James, perhaps. Besides, I think you'll be a little too...busy to waste time on this," Nathan stated knowingly, and then an even brighter gleam came to his already lit eyes. "I hope you've come to accept yourself, through this quite in depth soul-searching you were conducting out here?"

She let her eyes fall to the discarded food items. They both looked and felt out of place, and she felt a twinge of embarrassment that she had been seen with them. It felt a little demeaning to have "human food".

"Yes I have, in fact. I'd better get going, or else my sister will get upset," Saya stated, looking back at him boldly, feeling something bizarre and lovely in the pit of her very being.

"...Yes, you'd better," Nathan replied, wielding an almost sincere smile as he let the two of them walk by, eyes closed as his cold flesh tingled but remained unfeeling beneath the bright sunlight.

* * *

It was barely four minutes before they were outside of the room Diva was holding hostage. Saya could hear a great amount of clatter coming from the inside, followed by a high-pitched laugh. It was a familiar sort of sound, and it pulled on her heart strings.

Haji–though probably full of dismay–opened the door for her. The elder queen promptly walked in, head held high and looking about the room expectantly, viewing the pure havoc that had let the room fall to shambles.

James was currently looking up towards the ceiling, hands clasped behind his back in a secure fashion. That was probably the only thing that kept him from losing his cool, not like he dared raise a hand–or even a voice–against his mother. It was a precaution, though, and a very wise one at that.

"Diva, please come down from there. You're making me worry, playing so recklessly," He commented, trying to stay firm and in control, but still hiding beneath a rock called "humble". Following the dark-skinned chevalier's gaze, she tilted her head back to look up as well, and let a single eyebrow arch at the sight. Haji, who wanted no part in this, looked elsewhere as he stood beside her.

On the swaying chandelier hung Diva, made solely of berserk smiles. The crystal and pearl decoration was trembling, and at the sight of her older sister, she sang out another finely tuned laugh and swung her legs back and forth, forcing it to rock harder.

"Big sister, you should come up with me! I never thought this would be so much fun!" Diva called down, giggling yet again. A teardrop shaped crystal was suddenly loose and it began falling, twisting and spinning in the air like some sort of dying ballerina. She merely watched, not having any remorse. "Oh, well."

James hand gripped around it perfectly before it even came close to shattering against the ground. With his other hand, he straightened his military chapeau. "Amshel wouldn't be happy if you made a bigger mess than you already have."

"I thought I told you, little boy. I'm _tired_ of it being about what Amshel wants. He's gone right now, and that doesn't mean we have to fuss about whether or not we're doing things the way he likes it." Diva stated easily, and with that, she kicked at a branch of the chandelier. A glistening pearl, along with two more large crystal pendants, were shot across the room. The crystal decorations shattered against the wall, while the pearl ricocheted off and against a fallen chair before falling into a plush love seat that was broken into two.

Breathing deeply through his nose, James was left helpless to watch. He knew, as well as the next member of his brethren, that his queen could not be commanded. Such times when she was running amuck could only be stopped–or at least lessened–with something like bribery.

"Didn't you call for me to complete my promise, sister? But I coul have fun with you now, and we couls always do it later," Saya stated, rubbing the back of her arm. To this, Diva looked thoughtful, but the cogitating was interrupted.

"Hey, stop–!" A muffled, indignant cry came from the doorway. Speak of the devil–or rather, the man the devil wanted. Kai was being shown in, Solomon guiding him from behind. It was smart that Solomon had been the one to retrieve the red head. James would have most likely broken half the bones in Kai's body, and Nathan would have "accidentally" pushed him down the stare and only watched in glee.

Though Saya could see if Solomon had been any other type of person, he would have let irritation slip through. Kai was throwing up quite a ruckus, for merely being led from point "a" to point "b", even when it seemed like his flaxen warden was going out of his way to be docile.

He noticeably stiffened when he saw Saya, and slowed to a halt even though Solomon hadn't directed him to do so.

"Where is she, Saya...?" Kai asked distastefully, eye shifting rapidly around the room before coming to rest on her again. His eyes gave away the sliver of calmness he suddenly felt, and she could tell it was only when he had her in his sights that it was there. This was probably because he still thought she was going whip out her sword and let her blood run through it; against the blue-eyed viper he hated so. Or maybe it was just because she still had the same face–a face that had been with him before all this chaos started, a tranquil time of baseball and high school and childhood.

But she'd never been a child, not even when she was too young to speak. Innocence had never been hers to claim. Why had she ever even tried?

Before she could decide whether to answer him or not, a blurred figure cascaded down from above. Startled, Kai reeled back, shoulder bumping into Solomon as he found nowhere else to go.

Diva stood in front of him, the floor cracked underneath her feet from the sudden pressure applied to it. Demoniac smile, her hand whispered across his cheek, fingernails sliding over the smooth surface. Unexpectedly, blood began to swell up from the apparent cut, and she wiped some up with her thumb before Kai could even tell he was bleeding.

Running her tongue against the red splotches on her skin, Diva closed her eyes as she relished the flavor, beginning to hum happily already. "Delicious, I don't think I can wait any longer." At this, her eyelids lifted to reveal neon, pale blue. They had a phantom glow to them, the pupils and whites of her eyes were glassy as her irises radiated like little blue planets.

"You'll have to, Diva, just a second longer. We need Nathan here just to make sure we can stop you, in case you can't help yourself and start to kill him. You don't want him to die, do you?" Solomon asked soothingly, with a smile just as consoling. The look on Kai's face showed he'd rather die than bring Diva pleasure of any sort.

Saya was looking at Haji, now. Not desperately, to hold her back, or to wipe away her tears—but instead, she was using him as a focal point. She was determined not to display a weak front, even when such a thing was about to happen. It used to be atrocious, but now…it was the normal. It was for Diva.

"Well, isn't this a pretty little mess. I hope you had fun, Diva?" Nathan asked, in their midst before she knew it, giving the solitary human of the group a once over. "He's lucky Karl isn't alive anymore. That bumbling fool would have killed him the first half an hour he was here, if even."

Diva only continued to hum, swaying her arms back and forth, anticipating her coming "treat" and barely being able to contain the excitement. It was like she was a volcano, bubbling and about to erupt giddy molten rock and let it slide onto the heads of her victims.

"No need to wait on my account any longer! Please, my dear, enjoy yourself!" Nathan could be heard in the background, the main thing in everyone's ears was the sole snarl that escaped Cheshire grinning lips.

There was no force Kai could have mustered up that would have even held a chance of fending off the wild and eager reach of his oppressor.

Now, they entered the time of waiting. Nathan looked the most comfortable of them all, with his left arm folded across his partially exposed chest, his other elbow pressed into that, and his chin propped against the heel of his palm. Solomon was respectfully keeping himself idle with his thoughts, gaze focused on something else but conspicuously alert. James watched, visible hints of some long hidden happiness managing to rear its ugly head into his tan features.

"Haji, play me something? Quickly, please," Saya ordered, the faint sucking sounds were like explosions in her ears. No matter what she did, she couldn't block them out. Blankly, the awaiting queen watched her subsidiary stir in unfathomable ways. By the time she blinked a third time, Haji was already into the second line of music he'd long since memorized.

She felt her head move a little in sync to the cello's raspy notes, followed by her shoulders. Like Diva, when she had closed her eyes and swelled in ecstasy, Saya let her own eyelids flutter shut. She was patiently waiting in a cool, dark place in the back of her mind, anxious for her next part in this. To ensure stability and the means for Kai to live after Diva was done using him.

Feeling something soft brush against her arm, she opened her eyes halfway to see who it was. Solomon was facing her, standing solidly between herself and Diva, blocking any sort of view. Kai, mercifully, wasn't crying out.

Hear no evil, see no evil. Now, she would keep herself silent and give Diva the free ticket to a road that would lead straight and true to the thing she desired most. The golden family that her heart coveted.

Saya didn't say anything, but by allowing him to remain there—so close, hands brushing—and giving him the smallest nod, she was sure he could understand her appreciation. In the end, they all knew she was still so, so very weak, no practice and exercise up to this day preparing her fully.

She could have sworn she heard Nathan laugh, unabashedly. But then the music filled up her ears, very much like sweet effervescent champagne into a cracking glass.

_Wait, just a little longer. He's strong, she's not that thirsty, she needs him. Better yet, she wants him, just calm down._

However, not even the music could fully cover the sound of a body crumpling to the ground, falling hard and fast. Haji came to a stop, lithe fingers still spread over the neck of the cello, when he realized his queen's attention had already been taken back by her previously feeding sister.

Practically dancing around the white-clad Solomon, Saya brought herself before Diva and the seemingly unconscious Kai. He looked like some rag doll, roughly played with. It was almost what he was, and what had been done to him.

"Sister, are you finished? I'm ready to give him my blood," She stated, a wave of composure washing over her being. It was outlandish for the circumstances, and different than how she had expected herself to behave…but it wasn't unwelcome.

She was silent for what seemed like an eternity, licking the corner of her lips, before grinning wildly at her older sibling. "Go ahead, I've had my fun. He was too yummy...it's sad to think I'll never be able to drink his blood again." She feigned a pout, though anyone could still see the smile glittering wickedly in her eyes. It was the replacement of her soul.

Nodding approvingly, Saya knelt down beside the young man. She turned Kai over to straighten him out and elevate his head a bit, and was surprised to see him wincing. So he was conscious, after all. There was something about that that made her want to work a little faster.

"I need my sword," She commanded, not looking away from the pained crease in Kai's forehead. Within, she was debating how much blood it would take to make a quick recovery.

"You can't," James rebutted, causing Saya to look up, a faint fierceness battling against the stubborn cement barrier that the inexpressive chevalier was putting up in front of her. It was an obstacle she hadn't been expecting. "I don't think it's safe to have you wielding around a sword with your blood on it while Diva's around."

"Are you saying you think I'll try to hurt my sister?" Saya asked, expression hard and almost challenging, like she was daring him to call her a traitor to her own flesh and blood. It was an annoyance for him to refuse her, even when she was doing this for his mother.

"No, I just don't want to see any sort of accident happening. You can find some other way," James stated firmly, careless of the stakes.

She turned to see that Haji had already put the cello away into the safety of its case, and she cut him a warning glance. Her intentions weren't to rebuke him, just keep him at bay. Saya didn't want the two of them to get into a fight, because time was slipping away and she needed to give Kai her blood. It would've been even more of a hindrance to have Haji fetch her sword and quarrel even more about it.

Though soon, she knew, she'd have to flex her power more over this Ironside man. There was something that simply riled her very core when he spoke and acted so ill against her. In all the times she had ever confronted him, she assumed he always viewed her as some bug. Yes, soon that would have to change.

Saya found her sister lying down to the right of her. She'd meant to look to her for support, but ended up leaving that idea. Diva had a contented smile on her face, her body practically singing on its own. Everything about her looked as if she were in a dream. Diva was staring past Saya to look at the human she'd almost drained all life out of, a hand resting near angelically on the older sister's thigh.

"Solomon, I need you to come here," Saya called, mind quickly jumping to an alternative plan. She couldn't ask this of Haji, because he would suffer through hurting her ten times more than she ever would. And as for Nathan, well…who knew if he would stop cutting her?

The smell of still lingering blood was wafting into her nose, burning it. The good thing about this was that it meant his body still had enough in it to circulate and push up to the wound, trying to heal the small spots automatically. It meant Diva hadn't been feeble or thirsty enough devour him all.

_But she was._

That would be the bad part of learning this. Diva ate more frequently than Saya did, so when she felt a strain on the back of her throat she almost slapped herself.

Happily, she found Solomon knelt beside her. Already guessing what she would need—and being one who could never ignore her words, no matter what they were intending—he had transformed his hand into its blade form.

She hoped that Haji—whose eyes she could already feel burning gaps into the scene—wouldn't forget himself and take offense at this sight, a former enemy's weapon so close to his queen. A weed wacker dangerously near to his flower.

Knowing he was having trouble with the very idea of having her blood dripping down his hand, she directed its point deep and steady through her palm, gritting her teeth. She knew she couldn't breathe to ease herself, because no matter how much of her blood might fill the place, Kai's mortality would smell sweeter and more luxurious.

"Don't be afraid, Kai," She found herself murmuring as she elevated his head, watching him strain—probably trying to open his eyes and stand up—she ran her tongue along her lips. "You can trust in me, you'll be fine."

Saya brought her hand up to his mouth and squeezed her blood in. Not knowing what it was, Kai was still until he got a full taste of it. A grunt rolled out from his throat, and he fought ineffectively. She was torn between thankfulness and concern when he finally grew quiet again. It was sure to be easier to get the new life in him now.

"Have faith in this…" Saya whispered, falling silent after this. She wasn't sure if he could hear her, but it didn't matter either way. It was more of a mantra now, resounding in the walls of her head.

More cuts to the palm, ooze blood into his mouth. Cuts, mouth, cuts, mouth; the steps went on like this more a few more minutes. More than likely, she ended up putting more than was needed into him.

When she was finished, Kai's teeth and lips were stained from the crimson stuff that he'd been force-fed, and it couldn't have been at any better time. His body started rattling, as though a bomb had exploded, and the diffusion was trying to find a way out. Eyes popping open, he coughed and sputtered out a groan, a streak of red rolling down the edge of his mouth.

Saya set his head back down to the floor, both she and Solomon moving away. Diva, conversely, remained lying where she was, staring at him. It was like when a child watched their favorite cookies being made in the oven.

Kai struggled against the weight of his own body, and his arms and legs flailed in small spurts of pain. It was as if gravity had pinned him down, or as if he had been bound in chains that rendered him immobile.

Wiping the smudges of her remaining blood against her shin, Saya backed away, resisting the urge to cradle her head. It wasn't as though she was feeling anemic, or ready to throw up, it was more like she was about to scream. She knew in a few minutes she'd be fine again, but this intense twinge was close to déjà vu.

It reminded it of the time Haji had fallen, trying to get her the flower she'd so greedily asked for. A crown of red spilling out to frame his head had both nauseated and engrossed her, before she'd taken action, naïvely thinking she could make up for his loss of blood by feeding him handfuls of her own.

The way his body had shook, and the way Kai's was shaking now, it were as though everything was being ripped to pieces internally, to may way for a bright, shining white light. A light that would forever heal, forever guide. It promised, in fact, forever.

She could have kept going back, back, back, but ran into something. Twisting her head, Saya saw she had backed into a certain bearded chevalier, a face that had been absent as of late.

Amshel looked down at her, though only as a passing glance. His attention was focused on the fidgeting, thrashing figure of Kai, and eyes that were normally as blank and dead as the rest of him, unpredictably; let a little something slip in.

Repugnance took residence in those utilitarian eyes, and never successfully left when he called on his beguiling, charlatan charm.

"You've been gone and fooling around for a while, Amshel. You'd better have brought big sister and I presents," Diva said, melodiously—she seemed to be even more harmonious than before, if possible. Not once did she bother to look up.

"Diva, Saya, my beloveds," Amshel began, rumbling voice more mucky compared to the younger queen's vocal perfection. "I _have_ brought you gifts, in fact. That and more. You know I wouldn't be able to stand staying away from you if there wasn't a valid reason."

Saya moved nimbly away, not trying to seem distrustful, but she was sure he already knew. Taking a spot next to Haji, she kept a steady eye on Amshel.

It always felt like he was the wind, and everything she had come to care for was like the yellow feather. He always tried to steal it and carry it away, but this time—should he ever try—she would be sure to carefully take it back, and keep the delicate item safe in her hand and the depth of her existence.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, so I figured this chapter was going to be long…but not _this_ long. I was a busy little bee when it came to this chapter. I've been writing—basically—all day. Jeez, I really need to get a life. Or at least a hobby, to make me forget my empty reality. I hope this chapter was diverse enough for you; I tried to cover everything that could be included with what I was going for. All the chevaliers are back in business! Hoorah.

PLEASE, NOTE the yellow feather will play a bigger role. I emphasized that a lot so, um, I hope I didn't annoy you with it, but it kept nagging in the back of my mind. And _no_, there will be no more comparisons between the feather and her new life with Diva. But think about it! The feather's got her scent, Red Shield has her blood (which means they can fix certain things)…hopefully you get my drift. But no more clues! It's not like I want to spoil anything for you guys. Or do I…? :p

Just as a little insight, I've got this idea going about David and Saya's blood, but I'm not quite sure if I'm going to follow through with it. If anything, that little twist is going to be towards the end, so I can't really ask your opinions, or else I might ruin a good part of the story. I wonder how many of you actually read the author's note…? Add "**Hyper fluffy duck**" in your review if you _do_ read this part. I want to know whether I'm wasting space or not. :)


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen;**

_Metamorphosis_

met·a·mor·pho·sis: _n._

1. A transformation, as by magic or sorcery.

2. A marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function.

3. _Biology_: A change in the form and often habits of an animal during normal development after the embryonic stage. Metamorphosis includes, in insects, the transformation of a maggot into an adult fly and a caterpillar into a butterfly and, in amphibians, the changing of a tadpole into a frog.

4. _Pathology_: A usually degenerative change in the structure of a particular body tissue.

* * *

All around him was darkness; it seemed to hug him from within. It slithered up through his fingernails; it tickled his ears, his eyes watered as the matter tried to poke its way into their sockets, so he closed them. The obsidian nothingness around him was textured, like soft petals, and the vortex seemed to be pulling away from him.

Just getting used to this surreal place, he couldn't help but grimace as it was ripped apart, a vivid light was filling up first the cracks, and then consuming the black ribbons that had withstood the first attack. It wasn't just a colorless luminosity; prisms could be noted, so long as he didn't face their directions. It screamed at him like some banshee, reaching its hands down his throat and trying to rip out his heart.

Fists clenched, he fought to open his eyes, but it ended up hurting even more. When the flimsy wall of skin and eyelashes were lifted, the muddle of radiance grew more intense, like when you brought your hand closer to a fire. But he was stubborn, and he held them open once more. The corners of his eyeballs burned, and his eardrums rattled, producing something that sounded like a rough wind assaulting his head.

Kai meant to bring a hand up to shield his vulnerable eyes, but found that idea useless and vain. His very bones ached in resistance—as if they themselves had been bruised and bitten—and his muscles felt as petty as a willow's flimsy branch.

He couldn't bring his body to work properly, and he sucked his teeth in agitation. Even his brain was having issues, trying to sort out everything that had happened to him, and where he was. He then became acutely aware of someone watching him.

Head shaking—because of the strain, and who knew what else—he managed to turn it to the left. No one was there. Which meant that, lucky him, he was either just imagining things or else he had looked the wrong way. Kai hoped his mind had just been playing tricks on him; he didn't want to go through the ridiculous amount of trouble of changing the direction of his head again.

"So, you're awake," Saya's voice was like a knife, cutting flawlessly through the silence. Something squeaked beneath him—a bed? How very humane of them—as he adjusted himself for what he hoped to be the last time.

The lights weren't hurting his eyes quite as much anymore, though it still was a challenge to decipher the outline of an object, or where something began and ended. Like some cherub in a hell of confusion, however, Saya's face was far more prominent than anything else in that blinding room.

"Saya," He croaked, voice hoarse and almost unfamiliar, the world around him flickered as the backs of his eyeballs went into strain. The sheets felt awkward around him, as though he were a fly in a web. Like a panicking child his feet flailed to find an open space, doing so eventually but with the price of prickling weariness.

She was silent, watching, evaluating. Big brown eyes were glazed over.

"How long have I been out? My head feels like someone whacked me with a crowbar and then stuffed it up through my mouth and into my brain. …Hey, wait, what are you doing?" He asked, perplexed.

Saya had walked over, and proceeded to pull the blankets off of him. She turned, so that only a slightly turned head faced him. "You need to come with me, for a little bit. Can you walk by yourself? If not, Haji can help." At the mention of the fair-skinned chevalier, Haji finally realized his presence. Like some looming tower's shadow, he emerged into view. Some masculine dignity in Kai riled at the thought of needing help.

"No, I'm fine," A pretty little lie slipping past dirty teeth, tongue pressing into cheek as he concentrated on shuffling his legs over the bed and onto the floor. Beneath his feet, the wooden flooring sent chills up his already numbing skin. Nevertheless—words paper thin—Haji hovered from a secure, yet spacious few steps away.

"Where are we going, anyways?" Kai asked, rising. He had to hold his arms out a bit, balancing himself. For a miniscule moment, it was like the world was a fun house, but with arching and warping mirrors that you could hop into. Nothing made sense, but he wasn't going to question anything. As far as he knew, he could still be sleeping, and this was just one of the many dreams he had, of having Saya in the Red Shield again.

Another blank stare, companied with unmoving lips. Silence was unsettling, so he was relieved when she started walking towards the door. The ever silent, pointed looking from Haji told him to do the same. Compared to Saya's liquid, swaying pace he felt like a clumsy newborn calf, trying to walk for the first time.

He probably looked the part, too, gaping after her. The closest thing he could attach himself to.

Was he the only one making noise? Even swallowing seemed to make a loud, gulping noise, like a fish gulping for air. He was begging for an explanation, though he didn't know it yet.

"How do you feel? Are you light-headed?" Saya asked, breaking the burdening mute beast that had haunted them. Her voice sounded finely tuned, more harmonic like a certain she-devil he so despairingly knew, except down an octave as an alto more so than a soprano.

"I'm fine, I guess. As good as I could ever be. Some pain-killer wouldn't hurt, though," He answered lightly, hiding insecurity. Had the setting been different, and the abnormal fog of a mood dissipated, he might have laughed it off.

After moving through numerous hallways, milling past a multitude of closed doors, they finally came upon an exit. Courteously, a blurry Haji took position in front of them and opened the door, though mainly for his beloved queen.

In comparison, the artificial light was—while uncomfortable to his still grimacing senses—far sweeter to suffer through than the bright, natural sunlight that pushed through the doorway and beckoned to him. Birds sang outside, and he wondered how they could sound so happy, even under the harsh sun.

Absent in his thoughts, he almost walked straight into Saya, whose back faced him but remained still in a grave spot. An uneasy premonition came to him, and his arms automatically rose in front of his chest—as a barrier of sorts, perhaps—with his weight leaning on the foot farthest away. Ringlets of raven hair softly falling around her face and neck were the only remaining hints she had moved to look at him at all. Her eyes were intense, yet humbly hiding true emotions. He felt his ears grow warm.

"Will you stop acting like this is some family picnic? So friendly and amiable…" With an almost disgusted tone in her voice, he found himself being accused by a woman he hadn't truly seen in months, by a woman who had left him. But still, how could he not be happy?

She didn't give him time to defend himself, or even think properly. "I want you to act like someone normal would. I don't care if you pretend, or if it's half-hearted, just don't be so casual about this whole matter."

Almost acting insulted, her arms crossed and rested against her chest, and he could see her fingernails digging deeply into her soft skin. The sunlight glinted around her form, darkening her brow and giving her a half shadow. Her demeanor was unsettling, to say the least.

"Wh-What are you talking about? Why do I have to be scared or whatever…?" Kai asked. While almost idiotically naïve around her, he had enough sense to try and cover himself when an iron glint came into Saya's eyes. All he could see was her arm twitch before he felt an unpleasant tickle down the bridge of his nose, and then burning pain. Biting the inside of his cheek in discomfort, he gripped his nose. It felt wet. Bringing his hand into view, he saw it was smudged with his own blood.

"What was that for?!" He asked, outraged, gripping his new wound again. The smell of blood was strong and heavy, like a flowery perfume burning through his nostrils. He didn't like how potent it felt over him.

"You can't feel so safe around me. You can't expect me to stop everything and make you feel better, make something more familiar and easier," Saya proclaimed, watching him in a sort of calculated way. He felt like a bug being studied beneath a microscope.

"…I never asked you to," Kai deadpanned, and while he could see she was ready to disagree with his statement, she faithfully stayed on the route she was on.

"You don't understand," Saya stated, simply and half-heartedly despondent. He could never tell when she was giving something her all. He never knew when it was fully her—but even then, it wasn't the "her" he recalled. Memories were like old fairytales. They were something nice to believe in, but painful to make a reality.

Already, she was walking outside, Haji letting the door begin to fall. It was a fork in the road, of sorts. Follow her or stay? Either way, he was sure to make her unhappy.

Without thinking, he found himself wedging a hand in between the door and its frame, propelling it open and pushing through. He probably looked quite comical, with a hand clutching his nose, strutting after two wraithlike people.

The trio continued to walk like this for a time, Kai never being able to quite catch up to them, no matter how he quickened his pace. The trees rustled, as though anxious and envious, zephyr nymphs playfully jostling their branches.

He wondered, briefly, where they were going and why—but he quickly realized that even if he knew, he probably wouldn't comprehend it fully.

"You don't have to hold your nose like that anymore. There's no more pain, right?" Saya asked, startling him a bit. He hadn't seen this, but both Saya and Haji had slowed, and the chiropteran queen walked almost exactly next to him. From the corner of her eyes, she watched him.

Hesitantly, unsure as though he thought a trap was being set for him—a ridiculous and naïve thought, to say the most—he dropped his hand slowly to his mouth first, and then rubbed the back of his neck. Against his skin, he could feel the rough, crusty remains of blood peel off and shift between the two.

"Do you honestly need me to take you through this step by step?" Saya asked, not holding any real malice at all, just a faint sort of fatigue that seemed to almost reach her body as well. "I was hoping you'd have realized by now."

"Realized….what, exactly?" The red-head questioned, fingers tapping against the back of his neck like the spindly legs of some pacing arachnid. It felt awkward to meet her gaze, but just as equally odd to lower it—too bold, too ashamed, it felt like something inside him was being pulled two separate ways.

"Why you're still _alive_," She brought a shaking hand up to her chin, and then the other. Saya cradled her head, overlapping her mouth—with her vast brown eyes, she bore into his soul, and he squirmed internally. Life was such a precious, twirling dradle. Easily spun, easily stopped. But he'd never really thought about it.

* * *

Deep inside, something warm was unfolding. It was like a luxurious multi-colored flower, expanding from a humble bud to a copious flora. Like a baby taking a breath for the first time, life filled the empty hollows. Softly, warm honey dew pushed through her veins, filling up the empty spaces of her fingers, legs, and toes.

In the center of her chest, something pushed up and down, jolting like a controlled fistful of electricity. Gentle fingers caressed the defining bone of her cheek. The strokes felt so…relaxing, so loving. Such a thing felt foreign, but also heavenly—Irene forced her stiff neck to turn, leaning into the pleasurable sensation.

"Moses! Mo-oses!" Lulu's hasty, high-pitched whispers cluttered the air. Abruptly, the atmosphere around her became cluttered and stifling. A pinching feeling in the back of her mind, she felt the intense urge to open her eyes, gather her bearings and survey her surroundings.

Slowly, faded emerald eyes were unveiled to the world—a much awaited, esteemed prize for the ones who had stood by her side so loyally. She was becoming acutely aware of how dry and useless her tongue was, a bad aftertaste lingering on its edges. It felt like there were hard crevices lining the pink appendage. Saliva worked its way around sticky teeth to moisten it.

"It's about time," Karmen's impatient, arrogant voice trickled her way. _About time for what? What was I missing?_

"Don't be so rude, Karmen. You hadn't even wanted to give her the blood to begin with," Lulu reprimanded—it sounded odd, to hear one so seemingly innocent decipher the correct tone. "And besides, she shouldn't have to finally wake up and hear the sound of you sounding so upset."

"Stop arguing you two, I don't want Irene to think we've been at each others' necks since she's been out." Those were the calm words of Moses, smoothing things over like tidal waves.

"It was mostly Karmen," Lulu pouted, probably pushing out her lower lip and peeking accusingly at the spitfire man with glasses. To her ever returning hearing, Irene caught the faint, barely noticeable exhale coming from Moses. The reverberation of friction—clothing rubbing harshly against itself—also came to her, when Karmen clenched his fists and crossed his arms to contain his fiery irritation…or so she assumed.

Grunting, she tried to prop herself up to look at them directly, but found she could only elevate her head three inches or so up. It was odd; the emptiness that filled her arms and legs. There was, just barely, feeling in her chest. This was compared to the lack of anything anywhere else, her limbs and lower body were numb, save for the tingling.

An innate reaction to the immobility, panic pulled her back down to the stiff bed she lay on. In their sockets, her eyeballs shifted around, as though she hoped she might be able to see what was keeping her down.

"What's wrong, Irene?" Lulu asked, touching her temple and giving her a comforting smile. The petite Schiff's wide eyes searched her own, trying to open the blank book of her soul. "Are you feeling sick? Do you need me to get you anything?"

"N-No," She found herself stuttering, speech an unsure and awkward tool. A cough was trying to fight itself up, but she held it at bay, trying to stay strong and calm. "What's…wrong with me? I can't move anything."

"You contracted the Thorn, Irene. You were out of it for a while," Karmen responded, mild for the seriousness of the novel situation. If she strained herself, she could twist her head just enough to see half of his shadowed face. _The Thorn…?_

"But you're fine now, so you don't have to worry or anything! Saya and Kai managed to get Diva's blood, so you should be cured now!" Lulu said optimistically, a grin constant even in her voice. "You're lucky we got it to you when we did! You were starting to get worse."

"It's no thanks to Saya that Irene's better, Lulu," Karmen snapped, letting his temper get the better of him, even in such a happy niche in time. Moses cleared his throat with the domineering power of a leader.

"Well, fine then. But at leas she's all better! I missed you so much, Irene!" Lulu trilled suddenly, throwing her arms around the weak blonde. "There are so many things I want to tell you… Do you realize how hard it is to travel with these two? I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't made it!"

"Lulu…calm down and give her breathing space. We finally have her back, and we don't need her to have any more issues because you're smothering the life out of her," Moses chided gently, but forcefully. He'd heard Irene make a strange choking noise.

However, Irene hadn't been gasping for air or struggling to stay conscious—rather, her breath had hitched with strange, intense emotions. The lonely homesickness of a lost bird filled her up, and when Lulu politely went to pull away, she felt like something in her would break.

"No, it's fine," She said, only a little louder than a hoarse whisper. At this, it seemed the petite child felt triumphant, for her grip grew tighter by the second until finally became a little uncomfortable.

She'd rarely felt anything like this before. It made her feel weak—it was a love hate relationship—it warmed a soul she thought she never had, yet frightened her to think that such a vulnerable area in her existed. _Perhaps this is too much…_

"Where's Kai?" Irene asked suddenly, muffled through Lulu's lush heliotrope hair.

Her change of topic wasn't frowned upon, but the subject of it clearly was. Karmen narrowed his already small eyes at the young man's name, "Diva and her other little—"

"Kai was captured," Lulu interrupted, before the red-haired combatant could use any foul-mouthed language. She separated herself, assuming the time was truly right, but didn't completely leave Irene's side. She hefted herself onto the edge of the bed and kept a tiny hand on Irene's lovely pale cream one.

"What? How…?" Irene asked beseechingly, immediately wishing she could stand up and meet them eye to eye, wishing she didn't feel so useless in that bed. Time had slithered on without her, taking everyone else with it, but leaving her in the dusts of a premature grave.

"Why does it matter how? He wasn't that important to the project anyways," Karmen said balefully, his glare only subsiding when he adjusted his glasses.

"If you cannot hold your temper, Karmen, I highly suggest you leave this room until you can calm down," Moses intervened by taking a step forward, so that he was partially between Irene and the spitfire young man. His face was blank, and he bore into the world with enigmatic eyes—the only hint of displeasure was in the far off tone of his voice.

"Kai traded himself for the blood samples," Lulu said, once again filling in an answer whereas the other two left it as meaningless. At the blonde's look of subdued shock, she continued. "But, I think it's good. This way, he'll be with Saya, and maybe he can talk some sense into her."

"…Saya was…captured by Diva as well?" Irene asked, holding back a cough as a painful tickle in her throat made itself known.

"Ah, no…not exactly. Saya, she—well, you see, she doesn't seem to want to fight for the Red Shield anymore," Lulu said, with eyes downcast, the corner of her lips twitching into a short frown.

Karmen snorted, obviously not heeding Moses' previous words. "I don't think '_doesn't seem to_' really fits here. They're training her to kill us! We can't hope that Kai will be able to talk sense into her, or "reach her heart". You can't reach the heart of the devil."

With strange ferocity, Lulu glared at Karmen, her small fists clenching. In such anger, tiny tendons were appearing around her knucklebones, and her whole body seemed to arch so that her head ducked in. Her words spilled out in a hiss. "You're always complaining about this and that, always saying someone's useless or a burden. Why are you so important anyway? What gives you the right to judge others? It's not like you're God or anything!"

Karmen curled his lip in disgust, his eyes like slits now—Lulu remained firm in her accusation by meeting his threatening stare with her own glare of animosity. Moses, Irene could tell, was struggling not to cut off the tongues of both of them to keep the peace.

"I see that…while I've been gone, many things have…happened," Irene stated, forcing her words as a wedge between the two conflicting Schiff. Moses returned his attention back to her, and Karmen was the first to break the stare down.

"Yes, and it's a good thing that we finally have you back. It's very fortunate that your recover seems to be going so well. We'll need you as soon as possible," Moses stated simply and bluntly, never one to ramble.

"I'm just happy you didn't die," Lulu said thankfully, suddenly back to her usual cheerfulness, though there were still dark clouds in her eyes that she couldn't quite wish away.

A ghost of a smile touched her weary lips, exhaustion pulling at her eyelids like three ton weights. She meant to say 'Me too', but she couldn't seem to make her mouth move correctly to form the words. All she knew last was that Lulu and Karmen were being ushered out by Moses, who turned off the too bright overhead light and said goodnight and then something else she couldn't quite catch.

* * *

In some chaotic rhythm, her fingers drummed along the edge of the glass table. Her nails made a soft _chinking_ noise each time they tapped against the clean surface, making cracks beneath them as they went.

With no amusement whatsoever in her baby eyes—wide and intimidating with the signs of a scarred child's soul—she let Nathan do all the talking. And oh, how much talking he did! She wanted to get to the point, and skip all this polite verbal cavorting they were doing.

Nathan was an enjoyable toy, but when it came down to her whims, sometimes the man was elusive. Like now, when she had ordered him to talk to Amshel about his subtle defiance, because she had thought it would be too tedious to do herself. However, now she found it boring anyways, because Nathan kept talking and talking and talking and talking and talking.

Amshel—with his carved, hard face and magnetic eyes—looked solely at Diva the entire time his flaxen brother spoke, not even giving him a glance. She unabashedly stared back at him, only moving when she crossed her legs and tossed a strand of wayward hair behind her ear.

Finally, she ceased beating her nails methodically and pushed them with force against the table, momentarily enjoying the feeling of the glass shattering. "Nathan, if I had wanted you to talk me to sleep I would have said so. You're taking a pathetically long time to do this."

A small, none too real smile touched his lips as he lolled his head back a bit to look at the queen. An enigmatic gleam lent his eyes luster as he spoke, "Oh, but of course. How silly of me, chattering it up like some superfluous hag." He looked back to Amshel now, fluttering his fingers in the air for the other man's attention. "It seems Diva no longer holds you in her favor, you poor fool."

Amshel tilted his head downward a fraction, still never offering Nathan any of his awareness. "So I assumed. And you are in the right to be suspicious of my actions, my queen. I have been horrendous, leaving you for such a lengthy time with little to no explanation; you would have all the reason to wish me dead."

"I don't have any problem with that. What a splendid idea," Diva said with faint tones of sadistic mirth, arching backwards a bit to stretch her spine, quirking an eyebrow as bones cracked and popped. Nathan, with his chin resting on the heel of his hand; let a breathy laugh slip between his lips.

Cunningly, Amshel continued the conversation, "You haven't touched a single one of the presents I brought for you. It pains me, dear Diva, to think in my generosity you reward me with doubt and allegations. Haven't I been good to you? Forgive me for feeling hurt when you brought in your sister, forgive me for blindly looking out for your well-being."

With a toe she prodded a present, one of the many in a large pile, and then shoved it aggressively away. Her spoke with a cutting melody, "I show you _my_ 'generosity' just by telling you these things. You have been 'good to me' because that's what I demand, not because you choose to, not because you feel like it. And you _have_ been blind; you've walked right into stupidity."

A Cheshire smile exploded onto her features, as big as the pallid crescent moon far off in the sky. Diva cut Amshel off before he could fully begin speaking once more, "As for big sister, _she_ has brought me something that I've wanted and wanted. You only bring me dolls, because in your _generosity_, that was all you were able to do!"

Had any less a monstrous man been so attacked, he might have flinched. But Amshel sat with his back erect and his thin mouth even more firm and stiff, forehead twitching as though it meant to wrinkle in frustration. Not amused by his defenses, or lack thereof, Diva rose like a thorny weed, sucking the joy to live out of everything she passed.

"A bad child like you should be sent to the dog's house with a spanking," Her rolling laugh trickled back towards him like icy tendrils. "Solomon and James should see to that."

Nathan's eyebrow quirked as James' name was murmured, "Perhaps I should help escort this naughty boy out in the stead of Solomon? He would be most _generous _to you and your big sister." He was rising from the chair with the contradicting air of both intimacy and aloofness.

He didn't wait for a response, already leaving the echoes of a blur behind him—and Diva slammed through the wooden doors, breaking a hinge. This left Amshel, who finally seemed to be submitting to the fires of wrath. His eyes were opening to see an opportunity gone wrong, and a demon given too much leeway that her tethers were unraveling.

* * *

**A/N:** First things first. I will not apologize. Sorry, you mod readers, but I've got my reasons and this isn't always a priority. My grandpa died in April (yes, I know, that was three months ago!) but hey, when something hits you, you fall hard and long. That should be more than enough of an explanation.

Another thing, right this moment, I could be _exercising_! I've lost roughly twenty pounds, and I'm no eager beaver to gain them back just because I need to add a few more chapters to a story I don't even own. On another more random note, I'm writing a book. I know, right? Yayy, go me. (notice the lack of enthusiasm) I loathe introductions; I can't seem to make them exciting. But enough about me and my emotional issues! I hope you enjoyed the apparently long awaited chapter, and also, I hope that your summer has been just fine and dandy. :)


	21. Chapter 21

To those of you who can still ever so faintly recall my story Unforgivable, I would like to first and foremost thank you for keeping it nestled in the folds of your brain, never truly forgetting this blundering and naïve little piece I began and never seemed to retain enough fidelity to finish.

I hope this news will please those still interested, those who bothered to click the link when they were alerted that I had added another chapter—well, this was probably a disappointment seeing as how it's not really part of the story, but read on!—I plan on rebooting and revamping this story. I'm going to start back from the beginning (sorry to those who were hoping me to just pick up where I left off, but I can't because I haven't the foggiest idea as to where I was heading with certain mini plots). I may also, finally, write a small story on the two queens' mother. Oh joy. :)

I must first re-immerse myself in the strangely enticing world of Saya, and then I'll be able to accomplish a story that will hopefully do justice to the series.

Oh, and my style of writing has probably changed and (hopefully) improved, so look forward to that. And another minute detail: I'm probably going to just delete this story once I have the other posted. I'll post once more here to alert you of its birth into the FanFiction world, and from there we'll be off.

Thank you for taking the time to read my little rambling message! I hope you'll read the new Unforgivable (whose title I haven't yet decided).


End file.
